Annual Meeting - Tuesday, February 4th, 2003

Pich Chhoeun discusses his role in the Mayor's Office

Welcome and Summary of Activities

• Concord Street Cleanup: in April, SNA organized a volunteer cleanup of the Concord Street underpass.
• Yard Sale: the annual yard sale again set new records.
• Traffic Calming: the traffic calming project has moved from planning to design, with implementation anticipated for later this year.
• North Main Street: the DOT project is slated to begin this spring with additional landscaping encouraged by SNA and Councilman Jackson.
• Election Forum: Candidates for local and state office debated the issues, and advocates for and against the ballot issues presented had their say afterward.
• Summit Historic District: The Summit Avenue Historic District was approved by the state this year and a second district is in the offing.
• Miriam Expansion: Lifespan is moving forward with a proposal to build a 4-1/2 story building on their main campus. SNA efforts to oppose the construction have so far been unsuccessful.
• Undesireable Hope Street Commercial Projects: a strip-mall-style commercial building is going up on Hope Street despite city and neighborhood opposition. CVS plans to install a flashing electronic sign despite SNA objections.
• Institutional Zoning: PPS and the City have led a series of meetings to discuss the future of institutional zoning in Providence. SNA has participated and contributed comments in the process.

SNA Business

Guest Speakers

Providence's new Police Chief spoke of his plan to bring community policing back to the City. He promised that every family will soon have and know their "family cop" as well as the local police commander by name and be able to contact him or her directly by cell phone or pager at all hours. Chief Esserman expressed his and his Department's accountability with three words: "crime, fear, disorder." He said he would take personal responsibility if the City does not see significant results in these three areas in six months.

More than 70 residents attended the meeting

The Director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services described the role of this new office as the central contact point for all constituent needs. Aides take calls and follow through on all kinds of city services complaints and requests.

Mr. Chhoeun said his office has fielded about 300 calls per week and monitor 50 ongoing matters at any one time. He listened to a number of complaints from the audience, including deteriorating conditions at Lippitt Park. Many residents appealed for the Mayor's help in restraining the growth of Miriam Hospital.

Councilman Kevin Jackson

Councilman Jackson described his role in several Ward matters, including sidewalk repaving and the traffic calming and North Main Street projects. He mentioned his role in arranging a meeting between the SNA and the Mayor about the Miriam Hospital construction issue.

As Chair of the Council's Finance Committee, Mr. Jackson talked about his role in achieving economies in the city budget, seeking to slow the growth of the City's huge pension liability and ensuring that the current obligations are provided for.

Officer George Periera

Officer Periera responded to a number of complaints, including speeding on Rochambeau Avenue and loitering in Lippitt Park. He discussed steps taken in the past year to reduce speeding.

Adjourn