[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6698604,"mediaKeyId","5067465-29784f8712964dcae55a8c4c51df04c8","parentId",5067465,"title","Cranston council ratifies amended budget and tax levy, approves union contract and a slate of ordinances","audioSeconds",224,"startMs",4544000,"endMs",4768000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5067465-29784f8712964dcae55a8c4c51df04c8&start=4544&end=4768","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5067465-29784f8712964dcae55a8c4c51df04c8/thumbnail_4544000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6698604/Cranston-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Cranston-council-ratifies-amended-budget-and-tax-levy-approves-union-contract-and-a-slate-of-ordinances","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698604-0e94c30d40c102be357b4c80b7f3b40c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188264&Signature=F5h8F~86Y6frQlvwzqjiuvo434XzilZPIGijbIiHYsiJzCNBKjxGs2fpGwQ5xE-~fa7x8JaPgN8JUzg9cCus0ImtVsNvu3y5ZINDoc8oUUcmOLDnqOeZMgfiqVlaTRSYkQniruC2c2R5EqBlvZYnd9ruB~LnMKfRcCBxuhECzW1Wk~8Cjp-oNo4HkDihTwLsACqRTWayXzolz564PiT~qYnoGlc1OwjZkyG7uf5tbaJyvyDPha8JjM65tATkzc44H0k-vApTy9paeprDHugGe3pVhZnISLHXfHkt0sy2mKvyS5xj-m8VcHo-EQb16ODRWMPjp32DV4CxCZxK~LLB1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author"," City of Cranston","date","2025-06-24T12:12:23Z","article","Cranston City Council members on Monday, June 23, ratified the city’s amended fiscal-year 2025–26 budget and a $192,255,150 tax levy and approved a set of ordinances, license renewals and a three‑year firefighters contract in a series of votes.

Council legal counsel told members the ratification was necessary because the required public advertisement of the tax levy was not placed after the council approved the levy in April. The council voted to “ratify the actions taken” on April 23, 2025, to confirm the previously adopted budget and levy so tax billing could proceed.

The ratification carried after the council recorded unanimous “yes” votes. The mayor submitted a letter to the council noting his prerogative to veto under charter section 6‑10; that letter was entered into the meeting record before the ratification vote.

Other measures approved on mostly unanimous roll-call votes included:
- Ratification of the final amended municipal budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and the ratification of the tax levy of $192,255,150.
- Ordinance ratifying the International Association of Firefighters Local 1363 contract covering July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.
- An ordinance amending the 2025 municipal budget to update the engineering salary schedule.
- Multiple licensing matters, including renewal of an auto body/auto repair license for Zinc’s Auto Sales and Service at 550 Atwood Avenue.
- Traffic- and public‑safety related ordinances, including a multi-way stop for Cleveland and Governor streets and a no‑parking-on‑the‑even‑side ordinance for specified streets.
- Administrative ordinances updating licensing provisions, tobacco-dealer rules, rules for bingo games and regulation of flower vendors.
- A reappointment of David Clackston to the Building Appeals Board as a licensed-contractor member.

Clerk roll calls recorded consistent affirmative votes from attending council members on each item. Council leaders said most of the measures had been vetted in committee in advance. The finance committee chair reported the committee had met on the matters before recommending them for full council approval.

The council scheduled no additional votes on the docket. With routine business completed, the council adjourned.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","June 23, 2025, Special Safety Services & Licenses Committee and City Council Meetings","oneSentenceSummary","At its June 23 meeting, the Cranston City Council ratified a previously adopted amended budget and a $192,255,150 tax levy after a missed advertisement, approved a three-year IAFF contract and passed multiple ordinances and license renewals in largely unanimous votes.","taxTitle","Cranston City, Providence County, Rhode Island","taxId",4549,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698594,"Residents urge action on Budlong Pool repairs as commenter warns $4 million in funds could lapse",172,2489000,2661000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5067465-29784f8712964dcae55a8c4c51df04c8&start=2489&end=2661","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5067465-29784f8712964dcae55a8c4c51df04c8/thumbnail_2489000.jpg","/articles/6698594/Cranston-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Residents-urge-action-on-Budlong-Pool-repairs-as-commenter-warns-4-million-in-funds-could-lapse","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698594-b919997fbc867b7124ab20aacb4d1ba5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188264&Signature=YRqjCspCSkJiyRDQsBIFKd8gRDXPVc4~~CRwuEfw6ocPlYZze1uwklDZAAC5mhP7Bgm-ENCPpHmOkH4zdQ05ClU1StH2IdJ9rTFfqaxkLVO6XqCS0Xb2d7xOPgu95XUMuUIYHGj0nM6g7jHVh3QfYwhs6Iz1JR9JGWN-trOKRUb20PJZIifYSb9izM2CVltkqG8W4ZQJFq~VFUnUIs49SNUJ57DIkGlaQCu0sx7pJDATJEAB11gs5rdwq0X~rXLca~mWv-dCbIl3tgWpX8A6sOOTabBOfcKDQSfLBGk-u8PaKEOBIqdvx90nyK4Btk37jvXxR362rsYN~MhAv3srzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Susan Blake, a Cranston resident, used the council’s public-comment period on June 23 to press the administration for an update on repairs at Budlong Pool and to urge the council to push the project forward so available funds are not lost.

Blake told the council she has attended several meetings and has not seen progress documents or procurement items that would indicate contracts to fix the aqueduct‑related damage have been advertised. “What will the cost be to remedy it? Where will the additional funds come from?” she asked. Blake said the city’s engineering firm, Weston & Sampson, and the administration rejected offers of local input from a former pool supervisor, Tony Liberatori, whom she said had historical knowledge of the site.

Blake said $4,000,000 of a $4,750,000 allocation for the pool “expires at the end of this year” and urged the council and administration to act before those funds lapse. She noted the general contractor for the project is Vantage Builders, which won the construction bid; she said Vantage posts weekly updates for clients on its website and asked for comparable public updates for residents.

Her remarks were made during the public‑comment portion of the meeting; no council vote or formal response from the administration was recorded during the session. The comment record shows the council did not take immediate action on the matter at the June 23 meeting.

(Blake’s remarks reflected her views and account of project documents and communications; the council did not provide an administrative update or timeline during the meeting.)","At the council’s June 23 public comment period, a resident said work on the Budlong Pool project has stalled after contractors hit an aqueduct and urged the administration to move quickly before $4 million of available funding expires later this year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6698598,"Cranston police outline data‑driven approach to speeding complaints; council debates speed bumps and traffic calming",635,2781000,3416000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5067465-29784f8712964dcae55a8c4c51df04c8&start=2781&end=3416","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5067465-29784f8712964dcae55a8c4c51df04c8/thumbnail_2781000.jpg","/articles/6698598/Cranston-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Cranston-police-outline-datadriven-approach-to-speeding-complaints-council-debates-speed-bumps-and-traffic-calming","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6698598-3c11c5f15aafd83aa6fe0ff21ede8882/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188264&Signature=cvpFEhupMGpGI-~mFYOCkhcT648aarBvSc6D-pa5HP~pV6OhZDD3WNm2-lNfIzh7D-GBrQwtAmBRel-Epc-uXA2TjcxM0C21qee6DsqVHZcdV8uLj2KmzDSbGOUWZE7DiC4zeU9k0bExaM5eGG4EOsdzWHb4lyUUAAGb7cZCJEBkgD2HO6IRl94U3oPy47SQ-8L9v5cdOSjDVnxPGzxO6qWBQHi6c~Ce1NXmmCLF2unq530Hf0d4LnZg76l01uY5AA31cXVFI4dmfZHQXVPOy-3M34kw0Lg8DW4JDrVFWttCe7GAHKRstDCk71qFl7DdOAmEJ4Hx-u3c-g3-FeBPjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Colonel Winquist and city police staff told the Cranston City Council on June 23 that the department relies on data collection and targeted enforcement to address speeding and traffic safety complaints.

The police described a three‑step approach: deploy speed‑collection devices to measure vehicle counts and speeds, analyze the data to identify high‑enforcement locations and times, and assign directed overtime patrols (care detail) or other traffic measures when data support action. “We believe in technology and using data because that’s the only way we can really validate any of these speed complaints,” the colonel said.

The colonel said results often differ from public perception: some reports that appear to be speeding problems are actually high traffic volume or other issues. He described how the department typically uses a 5–10 mph threshold above the posted limit to identify excessive speeding for enforcement and said officers generally issue documented warnings for first‑time, otherwise clean drivers, with citations for repeat offenders.

On countermeasures, he said stop signs are meant to control traffic flow rather than reduce speed and warned that speed humps and bumps can produce mixed results, noise complaints, maintenance claims and potential safety tradeoffs for bicyclists and motorcycles. “Some cities and towns have actually utilized them, and some of those towns actually removed them,” he said. He also noted legal limits on automated enforcement: under current state law, speed cameras may be used only in school zones.

Council members suggested local alternatives and pilot tests. Councilman Ritz proposed using orange barrels or temporary lane narrowing as a trial on long, wide roads where speeding is reported; the colonel said traffic engineering would need to be involved but called the idea feasible as a test. Multiple members suggested road‑narrowing, high‑visibility patrols, and blinking speed signs as tools. Several councilors and the police recommended residents submit validated complaint information — including times of day — to help the department prioritize enforcement.

Police officials said they can share the raw data and summary reports from speed devices with council members and neighborhood groups. “What I like to do is I give the data back to you,” the colonel told the council, adding that the department typically leaves the collection box in place about a week to capture representative conditions. Members thanked police community‑outreach staff for attending and asked that traffic‑unit staff join neighborhood meetings when data or enforcement options are discussed.

No ordinance or policy change was adopted at the meeting; members directed staff to continue data collection and follow routine enforcement procedures and to coordinate with the traffic engineer on possible pilot changes.","Police described use of speed‑collection devices, enforcement details and limits on speed cameras; council members discussed speed bumps, road narrowing, pilot trials and community outreach.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cranston council ratifies amended budget and tax levy, approves union contract and a slate of ordinances

Residents urge action on Budlong Pool repairs as commenter warns $4 million in funds could lapse

Cranston police outline data‑driven approach to speeding complaints; council debates speed bumps and traffic calming