City Council Preview: Oct. 3

The Woonsocket City Council will convene at on Monday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. for their regularly scheduled meeting. The following is a summary of some of the issues they are expected to address.

Odor report: Wastewater Superintendent Edward Soltys will deliver the monthly odor report from the Woonsocket Wastewater Commission tonight. In a communication from Soltys, it states that there were five odor complaints in the month of August. According to a joint investigation by Veolia Water and Synagro, four of the complaints were unfounded and one was caused by a "passing cake truck."

Tax incentive for Le Moulin:  The City Council will vote on a new ordinance tonight for the inclusion of Vogue Properties in the Job Creation Incentive Program. In a two-page letter to the City Council, Economic Development Director Matthew Wojcik makes a case for retroactively including the property, which by proprietor Marie Deschenes as a arts community. Deschenes owns Vogue Communications, a successful telecommunications contracting firm and has invested the company's profits into rehabilitation of two buildings she purchased in Market Square. The property was eligible to be enrolled in the tax program when it was purchased more than three years ago, but according to Wojcik, his predecessor failed to offer the incentive. 

Space for the congressman: Congressman David N. Cicilline is seeking a short-term rental of space at City Hall for a satellite congressional office. The proposed ordinance would establish a lease renting the 50 square foot area to Cicilline for $100 a month until January of 2013.

Supporting pension reform: The council will vote tonight on a resolution to support comprehensive. If approved, the legislation, will be forwarded to the Rhode Island General Assembly and senators for the city of Woonsocket. "A failure to act now will not only endanger the sustainability of our state managed pension system, but the taxpayers of Woonsocket will be required to pay for massive cost increases beginning in July of 2012," the resolution explains.