FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 3, 2020 

CONTACT: Greg Pare at 401-276-5558 

PRESS RELEASE 

Sen. Cano and Councilor At-Large Vitali assure constituency that local businesses, MBE/WBE firms will be represented in upcoming school rebuild 

Pawtucket – Sen. Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) and Pawtucket Councilor At-Large Albert J. Vitali Jr. want to assure their constituency that the School Committee in the City of Pawtucket are committed to ensuring that local businesses, Minority Business Enterprise firms, and Women Business Enterprise firms are represented in every project possible. The Senator and Councilor are pleased to share that the School Committee is assuring them that the MBE/WBE regulations are a part of the upcoming rebuild of the Henry J. Winters Elementary School contract. 

“Having served on the School Committee, education will always be near and dear to my heart which is why I appreciate the hard work that the Pawtucket School Committee has done to completely rebuild Winters,” said Senator Cano, who also served as City Councilor At-Large. “I am encouraged by the School Committee’s commitment to hold the contractor that is ultimately selected accountable for ensuring that MBE/WBE firms are utilized for this project.  Making sure our minority and women owned businesses get their fair share of state and city contracts has been one of my top priorities since entering public service and it will continue to be, especially due to the uncertain economic times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

“The coronavirus pandemic has had an adverse effect on our businesses. As a City Councilor, I will continue to partner with the School Committee, who continues to do great work for our youth, in order to support local businesses who employ our residents and ensure that MBE/WBE firms are represented while putting people back to work,” said Councilor Vitali. 

According to the State of Rhode Island Office of Diversity, Equity, & Opportunity website, a small business “which is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals or in the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more such individuals” is considered to be MBE or WBE. 

-30- 

For an electronic version of this and all press releases published by the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau, please visit our website at www.rilegislature.gov/pre