Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan represents the neighborhoods of Elmhurst, Mount Pleasant, and the western edge of Manton. She has been a Council member since 2015 and currently serves as the City Council Majority Leader. Additionally, Councilwoman Ryan is Chair of the Committee on Municipal Operations and Oversight and serves on several committees including Finance and Ordinance.
Ward 5 stretches across the Northwestern part of the city, encompassing portions of the Elmhurst, Mount Pleasant, and Manton neighborhoods.
The City Council tonight announced initiatives to review the processes and procedures to review the Board of Licenses, and to also set up a working group to address the issues surrounding nightlife that we are facing in Providence.
This Council will be engaging the services of a local law firm to look at the processes and procedures of the Board of Licensees from the top down. In 2016 the Council engaged former Attorney General Jeffrey Pine to do a comprehensive overview, and this is a continuation of that process. In addition, the Council is also pulling together a working group of nightlife business owners, public safety officials, and elected officers to come together to discuss best practices.
The Pine Report, as it has been called, was compiled to assess the Board of Licenses’ adjudication process and to equip the board members with tools for best practices.
Council President Sabina Matos stated, “We must provide a framework for our nightlife businesses to operate with the know-how of how to handle and deescalate issues that might arise at their establishments. Working with Anthony Santurri, a pioneer in Providence’s nightlife scene, the Council believes that we can find solutions to the challenges that our City is currently facing. I commend my colleagues for making real and quantifiable change in our City.”
“As a freshman Councilor I advocated for a balance of opportunities for business owners and the quality of life of our residents,” stated Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan. “The Council initiated a complete review of the Board of Licenses and it is apparent to me that we need to do more. With the recent uptick in violence associated around clubs in our City I believe we are ready to revisit these issues. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make changes that benefit businesses and the community alike.”
The Council has been outspoken on its desire to promote a healthy business environment throughout the City, and one that serves the needs of neighborhood residents. More and more there are neighborhood restaurants that are also operating as entertainment venues at night, and the result has been an onslaught of issues affecting the quality of life for residents.
The working group to review nightlife best practices will come together in the coming weeks. It is the Council’s hope to engage as many constituencies as possible.
The Providence City Council voted tonight to authorize the Mayor and the City’s Office of Sustainability to develop and implement an aggregation plan to allow the residents of Providence to have more control over their electric bills.
According to the EPA, Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), also known as municipal aggregation, are programs that allow local governments to procure power on behalf of their residents. CCAs provide communities that want more local control over their electricity sources, more green power than is offered by the default utility, and lower electricity prices.
“With National Grid slated to raise our electricity rates by 8% this fall we need to offer our residents a way to lessen the burden and I believe community aggregation is a step in the right direction,” stated Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5). “Residents across the City saw tax increases on their properties, and even on their income taxes, and an 8% increase on our electricity bills adds up. Allowing the City to buy power in bulk, and buy alternate forms of power is not only the right thing to do, it’s the green thing to do. This is one more step in making Providence a carbon-neutral city by 2050!”
Under Rhode Island state law, CCA programs provide the opportunity to bring the benefits of competitive choice of electric supplier, longer-term price stability and more renewable energy options to the residents and businesses of the City of Providence and other municipalities in Rhode Island. The City Council is in full support of this program and the potential monetary and environmental benefits to our community.
Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) stated, “My neighbors are worried, they are worried about how are they going to pay their electric bill and keep food on the table. An increase of 8% will harm my neighbors, especially my elderly neighbors who are on a fixed income, and young families. I love the idea that residents will have a choice of a provider and not forced into using one source for their electricity.”
With tonight’s resolution the City Council authorizes the Mayor to engage a consultant with experience in developing and administering CCA programs to assist the City in the creation and operation of an aggregation plan and CCA program provided that the City shall not be required to draw upon the General Fund to compensate such consultant.
“I am very happy to be a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation,” stated Councilwoman Helen Anthony (Ward 2). “No matter where you live you should be able to have a choice regarding your electric service provider. Many residents want an option to buy electricity that is greener – such as solar or wind generated power – and they should have that option. This is a great step forward in embracing the green economy.”
The Office of Sustainability will provide regular updates to the full City Council regarding the development and implementation of the aggregation plan and CCA program.
I support the JUMP Bikes program here in Providence, and I believe it provides an important affordable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation in our City. I am also in full support of the administration’s decision to suspend the program until we can review and implement the proper controls and protocols to make this program a success.
Once the company switched from their U-shaped locks to their cable lock system it became clear that the bikes were too easily compromised. This new locking mechanism created several adverse effects in our community which I believe created serious quality of life issues. Which is why in July, I introduced a resolution requesting the administration to do a comprehensive study of this program. To date, the Council has not received that. Once we do, it will be vetted in an open committee meeting.
There are a number of these bicycles unaccounted for in our community, and that causes me concern. I am hopeful that the City, the Council, and JUMP Bikes can come to a resolution that benefits all members of our community, and that we have protocols in place to ensure the safety of pedestrians and riders alike.
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Jo-Ann Ryan, Majority Leader, Providence City Council, Councilwoman – Ward 5