City of Providence Cuts Mount Hope Out of the East Side
Kate Nagle, GoLocal Contributor
City of Providence Cuts Mount Hope Out of the East Side
A flyer from the city was posted on Facebook (see below) showing that the East Side neighborhoods Blackstone, Wayland, and College Hill in Wards 2 and 3 were slated for a meeting at the Jewish Community Center on Elmgrove Avenue next Tuesday; however it assigned the East Side neighborhood of Mt. Hope -- which is predominantly in Ward 3 -- to a meeting with Wards 4 and 14 at the DaVinci Center on Charles Street.
The Mayor's Office, however, said Monday that the flyer for neighborhood community development input meetings -- that were slated to start next week -- was just a draft, and not intended for distribution.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"This is a draft document. It has not been distributed, and it is not correct," said Evan England, Spokesperson for Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. "Meeting times and locations are being changed."
"Someone sent it to us," said James Monteiro, Executive Director of the Billy Taylor House in Mt. Hope of the poster, noting that it came from Prov WebGrants. "Maybe they changed their minds after the heard what folks had to say about it? I don't know, but what I do know is there's a constant effort to keep us divided."
Concerns Persist
"Mt. Hope's issues are Summit's issues, are Blackstone's issues," said Monteiro of other East Side neighborhoods. "Crime issues? That's Mt. Hope, but that's all the East Side. We need to work this out together. We started to do this on our own. I've had a lot of people from Summit say, 'I had no idea that's what it's all about.' It's all of the East Side, and we need to be having that conversation. Together."
Ward 3 Councilman Kevin Jackson said that he had not seen the document that was posted to social media and had sparked heated discussion -- but said on Monday that he had "continued concerns" as to how Mt. Hope was positioned on the East Side.
"My concern is that everyone always tells me they're not trying to separate Mt. Hope from the rest of the East Side," said Jackson. "I haven't heard about this [flyer], but I have been hearing that folks are being told in Ward 3 that their neighborhood school is Hopkins, and not Nathan Bishop. How can you not understand that Mt. Hope is part of the East Side?"
Providence Snow Equipment Costs
Dump Trucks
Items: 5 six-wheel wheel dump trucks
Department: Public Works
Cost Per Truck: $140,363
Total Cost: $697,348
Approval Date: December 2013 (City Council)
Trucks
Items: 6 trucks with sanders and plows
Department: Parks and Public Recreation
Cost Per Truck: $54,198
Total Cost: $325,188
Approval Date: August 2013 (Board of Contract and Supply)
Landscape Dump Trucks
Items: 4 landscape dump trucks
Department: Public Works
Cost Per Truck: $60,000
Total Cost: $240,000
Approval Date: June 2014 (City Council)
Dump Trucks
Items: Dumps with plows and spreaders
Department: Parks and Recreation
Cost Per Truck: $60,000
Total Cost: $240,000
Approval Date: June 2014 (City Council)
Vehicle Repair Costs 2011
Department: Public Works
2011 Actual Spending
Repairs to Autos and Trucks
Total Cost: $177,301
Vehicle Repair Costs 2012
Department: Public Works
2012 Actual Spending
Repairs to Autos and Trucks
Total Cost: $97,185
% Change Over Previous Year: -45%
Vehicle Repair Costs 2013
Department: Public Works
2013 Approved Budget
Repairs to Autos and Trucks
Total Cost: $160,000
% Change Over Previous Year: +64%
Vehicle Repair Costs 2014
Department: Public Works
2014 Enacted Budget
Repairs to Autos and Trucks
Total Cost: $140,000
% Change Over Previous Year: -12%
Vehicle Repair Costs 2015
Department: Public Works
2015 Projected Cost
Repairs to Autos and Trucks
Total Cost: $140,000
Total Costs Public Works
Department of Public Works
Total Costs
Recent Truck Acquisitions: $937,348
Vehicle Repairs: $714,486.00
Note: Vehicle repairs are totaled from 2011 to 2015. Truck acquisition costs are from 2013 to 2014.
