PROVIDENCE – Mayor David N. Cicilline today signed an executive order establishing a set of clear guidelines and priorities to ensure federal dollars authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are spent in the most strategic and timely manner.  The executive order also creates a 22-member team to identify opportunities for infrastructure improvement and job creation and to create a transparent system for tracking resources and expenditures.

“It’s critically important that we maximize these funds to their fullest potential to create jobs, rebuild our infrastructure and get our economy moving again,” said Mayor Cicilline.  “The executive order that I signed today will ensure that every single dollar is accounted for and invested wisely as we work towards strengthening our economy and ensuring the long-term prosperity of our city and state.”

In addition to setting out a transparent process for accurately accounting for the expenditure of funds under the ARRA, the executive order also underscores the importance of building a proactive, productive partnership with the State to ensure the funding is utilized in the most effective manner. 

The City’s priorities for the ARRA funds include:

• Increase employment and access to job training
• Repair and modernize infrastructure and transit
• Enhance long-term, sustainable economic development potential
• Provide assistance and economic relief to Providence families
• Strengthen education and public safety

Providence’s 26-member American Recovery & Reinvestment Act team will meet regularly to identify opportunities for investment, track resources and report on the results of those investments.  The ARRA team is led by Policy & Legislative Affairs Director Matthew Stark and includes an ARRA project coordinator, an ARRA compliance officer, ARRA analysts, the City’s chief of Administration, chief of Operations, the director of Planning & Development, the director of Public Works, the chief engineer of Providence Water, Providence Schools superintendent, Police chief, Fire chief, acting director of Public Property, director of the Providence/Cranston Workforce Investment Board, director of the Providence After School Alliance (PASA) and the director of the Mayor’s Substance Abuse Prevention Council, the director of Emergency Management, director of Pathways to Opportunity, director of the Public Housing Authority, director of Provstat and the director of ProCap.

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