Cranston committee approves transfer of 4 Sharp Drive to city, refers Elmhurst Avenue abandonment back to full council and OKs utility pole move

The Cranston City Public Works Committee on Jan. 16 approved an amended resolution to transfer the property at 4 Sharp Drive to the City of Cranston, voted to refer a petition to abandon a portion of Elmhurst Avenue back to the full City Council as new business, and approved a Narragansett Electric/Verizon petition to relocate a utility pole on Elwynn Street.

The transfer of 4 Sharp Drive was presented as a mayoral-sponsored resolution “in accordance with section 2.08.0.08 of city code.” The resolution was amended on the committee floor to add a historical note about the school occupying the property: the amendment inserted language stating that “as of August 2023, and with the approval of the Rhode Island Department of Education, the Charter Academy was renamed the Apprenticeship Exploration School.” The amendment passed on a roll-call vote and the committee then approved the amended resolution by roll call.

Lindsay Tavares, executive director of the Apprenticeship Exploration School, addressed the committee in public comment before the transfer vote. “I’m just here tonight to express gratitude for the council for the consideration of the purchase of our school facility tonight,” Tavares said, and she noted that “the Rhode Island Department of Education has currently recommended a 5 year renewal, which is the maximum renewal cycle that a charter school can go through.”

During discussion, a council member asked whether bond funds approved by voters were being used for the purchase and whether the city would be reimbursed at a 74% rate by the Department of Education rather than the typical rate (referenced in the meeting as roughly 52–53%). A city representative identified as “Mr. Collins” responded to questions on the record; the transcript does not provide full text of that response and the committee did not specify a memorandum of understanding in the meeting record.

Separately, a petition from Narragansett Electric and Verizon New England Incorporated to relocate a pole on Elwynn Street was presented and approved on the committee’s motion after public works staff sign-off. The committee record notes that public works had reviewed the submission (signed off 12/18/2024) and that the relocation did not appear to conflict with driveways or other obstructions from aerial imagery.

The committee also considered a resolution petitioned by Brian D. White seeking abandonment of a portion of Elmhurst Avenue. Council President Marino told the committee the item should be refiled as new business with the full council before it returns to committee, because the committee had not previously received the resolution in the manner required. “When I say pass, I don’t mean approve. I mean, remove it, from the committee,” Marino said, describing the procedural step the committee would take. The committee voted to refer the abandonment resolution back to the full City Council to be refiled as new business.

Votes at a glance - Approval of meeting minutes (Dec. 5, 2024): approved (roll call) — Yes: Councilman Campobiano; Councilman Andujar; Council Vice President Wall; Councilwoman Heroyan; Councilwoman Graziano; Council President Marino. Abstain: Councilman Bonanno. - Resolution to refer petition to abandon portion of Elmhurst Avenue to full City Council as new business (petitioner: Brian D. White): motion to refer passed (roll call: all members present voted yes). - Resolution approving transfer of land at 4 Sharp Drive to the City of Cranston (sponsored by Mayor Hopkins), as amended to note the school’s renaming to Apprenticeship Exploration School (Aug. 2023, per RIDE): amendment passed (roll call: all present yes); final amended resolution approved (roll call: all present yes). - Petition from Narragansett Electric and Verizon New England Incorporated to relocate a pole on Elwynn Street: approved (roll call: all present yes).

The committee also heard a brief council communication about a National Resources Conservation Service session that the council president attended; the session included information about a federal program with approximately $5,000,000 in available buyout funds for homeowners in eligible areas. The committee adjourned after routine business.

Background/why it matters: The transfer of 4 Sharp Drive ties to the Apprenticeship Exploration School’s facility and the city’s use of voter-approved bond funding; committee approval moves the transaction forward to implementation steps. The referral of the Elmhurst Avenue abandonment back to the full council resets the procedural path so the council can formally refile and sponsor the petition. The utility pole relocation is an administratively common petition from the electric company that requires committee sign-off when public-works staff identify no conflicts.

Next steps: The Elmhurst Avenue petition will be refiled as new business with the full City Council and then referred back to the Public Works Committee; the city will proceed with the property transfer process for 4 Sharp Drive under the approved resolution and recorded amendments.