Narragansett Town Council Regular Meeting – August 13, 2026
Narragansett Town Council Regular Meeting – August 13, 2026
The Narragansett Town Council held a regular meeting on August 13, 2026, at 7:01 PM in the Assembly Room. The meeting included a moment of silence for three deceased residents, approval of minutes, extensive public comment on a town solicitor investigation, a consent agenda, and several new business items including a detailed presentation on wastewater treatment, approval of police vehicle purchases, a bike path design contract, and other departmental motions. The meeting adjourned at 8:56 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Multiple speakers (Tom Callahan, Mark Brady, Heidi Patron, Jill Lawler) voiced strong concerns about the Town Council's handling of a workplace violence complaint against former Assistant Solicitor Craven. They criticized the council for not taking action sooner, not protecting the employee, and allowing the attorney to dictate resignation terms. Speakers demanded transparency and full video release.
- Dr. Al Alba raised allegations about Councilor Durkin's past property management issues and legal disputes.
- Vicky Board requested an update on the expired Affordable Housing Collaborative Trust board member appointment; President Menzies assured it would be on the next agenda.
- In response, President Menzies stated the independent investigation validated and substantiated the employee's complaint, and explained the procedural complexities due to the solicitor being hired by the council. He apologized to the employee.
Discussion Items
- Wastewater Treatment Facility (Scarborough) Presentation: Councilors Vignali and Durkin presented a detailed subcommittee report. Key findings included that infiltration and inflow (I&I) from groundwater and rain, not seasonal tourism, drive most of the flow. The plant has considerable unused capacity despite I&I. Tactical improvements (e.g., $337,000 pump replacements, consultant analysis, proactive management) have improved performance and reduced odors. The town manager reported a rise in biochemical oxygen demand removal from 76.4% to 98.2% and a positive DEM inspection on August 10. A strategic solution for I&I will require whole-town engagement. Councilor Torrealday encouraged a future public work session.
- Bike Path Design Contract (Item I.1): A motion to approve a $153,500 contract with DiPrete Engineering for design services for a bike path from the Community Center to Kingstown Road and Caswell Street sparked debate. Several public speakers and council members objected to the map's routing (going north through Sprague Park and Strathmore Road), citing safety and alignment with the council-approved language. Councilor Durkin proposed amending the route to go along Kingstown Road to the Indian statue. The town solicitor noted that amending the map was not on the agenda; the vote was only on design services. The motion passed 3-1, with Councilor Torrealday opposed.
Key Outcomes
- Approved Minutes: August 3, 2026 meeting minutes approved 4-0.
- Consent Agenda (2 items): Approved 4-0: Waiver of interest on overdue tax/utility payments, and Class F-1 alcohol license for Lion's Club Gansett Days (Sept 18-19).
- Wastewater Discussion: Discussed and reviewed; no formal vote but direction to continue strategic planning and consider a public work session.
- Fire Department EMS Director MOU: Approved 4-0.
- Police Vehicle Purchase: Approved 4-0: $125,342.40 for three 2026 Dodge Police Utility AWD vehicles.
- Trash Bags Bid Award: Awarded 4-0 to Central Poly-Bag Corp. ($21.77/64-gal clear, $16.31/64-gal black per case, one-year term).
- Parks & Rec Clerk Position: Approved 4-0 to fill position and subsequent vacancies.
- Town Hall Front Entrance Change Order: Approved 3-1 (Torrealday opposed) for $15,226.89 with Martone Service Company.
- Bike Path Design Contract: Approved 3-1 (Torrealday opposed) for $153,500 to DiPrete Engineering; route map to be clarified at a future meeting.
- Engineering Truck Purchase: Approved 4-0: $48,893.20 for Chevrolet 2500 work truck and $24,980 for service body.
- Security System Upgrade: Awarded 4-0 to Convergint Technologies for $71,090.
- Special Event Permit (Endless Summer/Calamari Festival): Approved 4-0 with fee waived, for Sept 19, 2026.
- Executive Session Vote Disclosure: Approved town manager contract (3-year, salary $165,307 in year 1 with 3% annual increase, 5 weeks vacation) (5-0 vote from July 6, 2026 ES).
Meeting Transcript
All right. Good evening, everyone. Time is now seven oh one PM. And today's date is August seventeenth, and we are here for our regularly scheduled town council meeting. Before we begin this evening's meeting, uh, Councillor Durkin and I would like to take a moment to recognize the passing of three individuals whose lives were deeply connected in Narragansett in the greater South County community. Stephen Farley was a longtime Narragansett resident, devoted father, coach, friend, and familiar face throughout our community. Known to so many simply as Coach, Stephen gave countless hours to our young people through athletics, booster clubs, and community involvement. His love for Narragansett, its people, and its traditions was evident throughout his life, and he will be deeply missed. I ask everyone to please join us in a moment of silence as we honor their lives, their service, and their contributions to our community. Thank you. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. All right. First item on our agenda is the town manager's update, so I'll pass it off to Jim. Good evening, members of the council, folks who are here this evening, and those who are watching from home. A few updates for the week. An update on the comprehensive plan. We're asking that any residents contact community development director Jill Sabo if they are interested in becoming a stakeholder for the housing and land use elements of the comprehensive plan update process. Contact information can be found on the town website under community development. The State Traffic Commission informed us that the crosswalk that we have been pursuing on Boston Neck Road near Dominic Christopher Christopher Park was approved, and they notified us. They have no timeline for it, but they have approved the crosswalk that we had requested several times. DPW was awarded a certificate of special recognition for their successes during the 2026 National Public Works Week. Congratulations to all of the great team at DPW and to our director, Steve Dano and Deputy Director Darren McConnell, who lead by example. The Rhode Island Drought Steering Committee will be holding a meeting tomorrow, 8 18 in Providence, and they'll be streaming it on Zoom at 10 30 in the morning. It's not a good picture that they're going to paint. And along with that, Violia released the statement. Mr. Jacobs from Violet Wadius stated they were still not in good shape moving into this summer. They saw a bump, but groundwater recovery was short-lived. Wells in the Mink Brook Aquifier near Wooden Pond that supplies drinking water to much of Narragansett in South Kingstown are 49% below historical averages. Veolia issued an outdoor water ban beginning in June 30th. People who rely on wells for their water are already seeing an impact from long-term drought effects. The Narrow River dridging dredging permit. The town is waiting to hear back from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service following a meeting that we had with them on August 4th. I've kept Senator Reed's office in the loop by providing all the updates and the current status as late as today. The town council has an agenda item tonight to approve DePrete engineering to commence the design engineering of the TC approved route, and we have confirmed with RIDOT that the $3 million remains in the STIP budget for construction only, not for engineering. A couple of events just to let you know about. They said bring your own chair or blanket. Food and beverage will be available for sale, and tickets are $15. It benefits the South County Museum. The Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the Rhod Island 250 float parade on Saturday, August 22nd, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. We currently do not have anyone registered as a participant, but we'd ask you to reach out to Parks and Recreation if you'd be interested in doing that. You will hear a lot this evening about the Scarborough wastewater treatment plant. The plant continues to operate efficiently and optimally. I'll provide you with the most recent updates of what has been done at the plant. Wastewater staff met with the wastewater treatment consultant throughout the winter and summer to evaluate the recent and prior plant plant performance and conditions and coordinate corrective action to achieve satisfactory summer treatment. The plant maintained full compliance with all discharge permit requirements from November of 25 through July of 26 and continues to operate at high efficiency. One sludge transfer pump has been rebuilt and was returned to service in July. Two remaining pumps are being replaced with the first replacement pump startup scheduled for the next last week of August.
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