LETTERS

Picozzi: More of a mayor than politican

By JOHN HOWELL
Posted 6/3/21

To the Editor, Tonight, I attended my first Citizens Police Academy Alumni meeting since the pandemic. It is so nice to be getting back to normal. Mayor Frank Picozzi attended along with his wife. In brief remarks, our guest described our Warwick Police

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LETTERS

Picozzi: More of a mayor than politican

Posted

To the Editor,

Tonight, I attended my first Citizens Police Academy Alumni meeting since the pandemic. It is so nice to be getting back to normal. Mayor Frank Picozzi attended along with his wife. In brief remarks, our guest described our Warwick Police Department as a source of pride for the community, and I agree. Mayor Frank initiated his remarks by saying that public speaking isn't his strong point, and I disagree, his remarks were really nice to hear, acknowledged WPD initiatives, and were to the point without much in the way of fluff. So I guess he's really more of a mayor than he is a politician.

While I knew he was generally well regarded in our community and had been in office as the school committee chairman in the past, I didn't vote for him last time, because I was 60/40 in favor of sticking with an experienced incumbent in the midst of a crisis. A good majority my fellow Warwick residents however chose to go with Frank.

Since becoming mayor, we have learned from the Beacon's article entitled "Working together" and other media that, working with our city council members, he's done such things as prioritizing getting McDermott Pool up and running again, bringing back needed city workers who were laid off last year, has solidified plans to demolish the disused annex building, inked a really cool deal to lease offices in the sawtooth building instead, is addressing city police, fire, and DPW equipment replacement needs, addressing the worst of the sewer infrastructure needs, and more, without any big battles or drama. His budget has no tax increases as he spreads covid relief over the next two budget cycles while we address some of the infrastructure. And it's only been five months.

There will I'm sure be some policy disagreements and things to work through in the future because that's the nature of the process sometimes, but right now our mayor and council are moving Warwick forward. I especially liked his description of working with city bureaucracy to "climbing an ice hill" at times. Customer service is an area in our and many municipal governments that can languish. It needlessly frustrates people and at its worst can discourage citizens from approaching their own government for service they deserve or answers to issues, and discourage development which is needed for our tax base. As a small business owner and hands-on person, he really seems to be able to relate to the important area of engagement with city hall, and this mayor wants to improve that area.

So he's already earned my support next election and I think that, like he said about our police department, Mayor Frank is a source of pride for our community.

Chris Prata

Warwick

Picozzi, mayor, politician

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