The Cranston Public Schools Administration building is located right next to City Hall on Park Avenue. The building, erected in 1904, was once the city's first high school. Formerly the William A. Briggs School, the building is now home to the superintendent of schools and the administrative offices that manage and run the school system.
The building also has classroom space and is used by Cranston High School East.
Cranston City Hall is the nucleus of the city's government and where the city is officially run and managed. It's also where residents go to get copies of vital records, pay their taxes or handle their building or zoning permit requests.
Cranston, with a population of about 80,000, is presided over by Mayor Alan Fung and represents a microcosm of the United States, combining rural farmlands in the west, dense urban life in the east and several tightly-knit suburban communities that range from postwar suburban developments like Garden City and historic villages with colonial roots, like Pawtuxet Village and Oak Lawn.
The offices of the board of canvassers, the personnel department, information technology and tax assessor can be found on the first floor. On the second floor, the city auditor, tax collector, city clerk and finance and purchasing departments are located. The third floor holds the offices of mayor, planning department and economic development as well as the city council chambers, which is where city council meetings and Probate Court hearings are convened.
City Hall was constructed with Works Progress Administration funds in 1936. The building was designed by Howe and Church and ended up located on Park Avenue after a political battle between the Republican party, which was the dominant political force, and the Democrats, who preferred city hall to remain in Knightsville. The decision to locate City Hall in Auburn was made against the advice of the City Plan Commission, but it solidified Auburn as the center of civic life in Cranston.
A directory of city departments and phone numbers is available at the city's website or by calling the main number.
The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency is tasked with protecting life and property when disaster strikes. It maintains mitigation programs and specializes in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. The agency manages the state's disaster preparedness and recovery plans and coordinates those plans with police, fire and emergency departments with every city and town in Rhode Island. It also operates the state's Emergency Operations Center and a Mobile Command Center, and is the state's liaison to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Hamilton Building is close to the Cranston Police Department on Cranston Street and holds the offices of the city's engineering, parks and recreation, community development, building inspection and zoning departments. It is also home to the Cranston Community Action Program, which offers employment assistance, substance abuse counseling, and child and elderly care services.
The Cranston Housing Authority provides housing assistance to low-income residents. Along with Section 8 and rental assistance, the agency manages city-owned public housing.
The Rhode Island Lottery Commission oversees the state's lottery system. Established in 1974, the commission is the largest voluntary revenue source for the state, providing hundreds of millions in annual revenue that goes into the general fund. In 2008, the commission earned $2.4 billion in sales, generating $355 million for the general fund.
Games offered included instant games, four-digit daily numbers, Wild Money, PowerBall, Mega Millions, Keno and video lottery terminals.