North Kingstown Town Council Meeting - July 18, 2022
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North Kingstown Town Council Meeting - July 18, 2022
The North Kingstown Town Council met at 7:00 PM on Monday, July 18, 2022, at the Beechwood Senior Center, 44 Beach Street, North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The agenda included presentations on Boom Local and a school-business investment fund, the consent calendar, the town manager's report, a Wickford Advisory Committee update, a CRMC application, Board of Canvassers appointments, and November 2022 ballot questions on adult-use cannabis licenses and several Town Charter amendments.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Richard Welch, 8 Arrow Lane, thanked the town manager for addressing overflowing collection bins at the TJ Maxx parking lot. He criticized the water department's slow progress on a 10-year, $20 million infrastructure plan and said about $9 million had been collected but not spent on repairs. He asked for leak repairs and coordination with public works. Town Manager Ralph Mollis responded that the council recently authorized a leak-detection flyover survey using infrared technology, delayed about 30 days by a cost-sharing arrangement with a neighboring community, with a report expected in August or September 2022.
- Brett Mallory supported Councilor Mary Brimer's prior suggestion to freeze school surplus or assets while lawsuits are pending, describing how lawsuits crippled his Ohio school system and caused cuts to programs, sports, and staff.
- Virginia Sanders, 190 Waldron Avenue, praised the tax bill information letter but urged the school committee to emphasize character, work ethic, and boundaries. She also expressed concern that litigation would benefit lawyers more than the town or schools and asked whether students from West Bay Christian Academy would be discriminated against. The council president responded that they would not be discriminated against.
- Curtis Fisher, 104 Phillips, Wickford, supported improving the water department and suggested the July 4 fireworks barge was too far out in the bay. He said residents were not against redevelopment of the Wickford Elementary School and theater, but opposed what he called exploitation and excessive zoning exceptions. Council President Mancini disagreed, warning that the developer might withdraw as interest rates rise and the market softens, and discussed contractual obligations to the developer.
- Susanna Tingley, 750 Hatchery Road, opposed the cannabis ballot question, citing increased crime, traffic, noise, odor, water use, public health risks, and negative effects on property values and community character, and asked the council to wait and study impacts elsewhere.
Special Business: Boom Local Presentation
- Nicole, a town staff member, and Town Manager Ralph Mollis demonstrated Boom Local, a startup-created business directory for North Kingstown. The platform is mobile-friendly, searchable, and includes categories such as food and drink; businesses do not pay to be listed. The town owns the underlying data and contracted for one year with a setup fee plus an integration fee per active business, described as a little over $1 per business for about 350 businesses and under bid requirements.
- Councilor Mary Brimer asked whether it would compete with the Chamber of Commerce or Wickford Merchants Association; Mollis said it is an added asset, not a dues-paying membership directory. Council members asked about driving traffic to the site; staff said promotion, marketing, social media, and a planned website revamp would follow, with possible public rollout in late September or early October 2022.
- The town also plans to use the data for planning, emergency response, and economic development.
Special Business: School Business Investment Fund
- Finance Director Jim and student intern Morgan Martucci presented a proposal to invest $50,000 of town funds through the high school business program. Students would develop and follow an investment policy, get approval for trades from supervisors, and any profits could be used for scholarships. The program would provide real-world investing experience and is pending school committee approval.
- Councilor Brimer asked that the school committee be asked to match the town's $50,000 contribution given the school surplus. She also asked about Edward Jones fees and ticket charges; Jim said those questions would be discussed in a meeting with the financial representative.
- Councilor Page praised the proposal, comparing it to university-managed funds.
Consent Calendar
- Items 7, 13-17, and 21-23 were approved by one motion, including the June 13, 2022 minutes; tax abatement list #859 in the amount of $1,464.99; Fire Department radio interface equipment from Motorola Solutions for $24,647.50; Golf Course bunker rake from A-OK Turf Equipment for $26,028.00; authorization to apply for the state FY2022 Body-Worn Camera Grant; two entertainment licenses for town beach campus and bandshell events; holiday sales license renewals; and victualling license transfer and new license actions.
- Donations items 9-12 were pulled and approved separately. Councilor Brimer recognized donors and noted the donations totaled $11,350, plus $100 for the North Kingstown Animal Shelter, $100 for the Police Department, and $400 for the Recreation Department's Al's Kids Scholarship Fund.
- Fireworks ratification items 18-20 were pulled and approved. The permits ratified were for Plum Beach Club on July 1, the Town of North Kingstown on July 3, and Quidnessett Country Club on July 4, 2022. Welch asked why the approvals were after the fact; the town manager explained the June council meeting was canceled and the fire department had signed off on the permits.
Town Manager Report
- Ralph Mollis reported that short-term rental research would be completed by October, with recommendations to the council in November or December 2022. He noted the state now requires registration; North Kingstown currently has no local short-term rental regulation, and Newport recently adopted a comprehensive ordinance.
- Tax bills were mailed the first week of July with an informational letter; the first quarter bill is due July 30, 2022.
- DOT resurfacing of Route 1A/Boston Neck Road began July 18, starting on Route 2/South County Trail from Route 102 to the Pawcatuck River through December 15, with work on Boston Neck Road planned for spring.
- The Davisville Railroad Bridge on Devils Foot Road will be closed to all traffic for repairs, with utility work this summer, detours beginning spring 2023, and reopening expected fall 2023. A resident asked about fire engine coverage for about 400 homes on the other side; Mollis said he would consult with the fire chief.
- Rhode Island Energy is proposing a four-community, 14-mile infrastructure refurbishment project through North Kingstown along Old Baptist Road, Tower Hill Road, and into the Wickford Junction substation; a public meeting is being scheduled.
- Renovation of 80 Boston Neck Road is expected to be complete by mid-August with occupancy after Labor Day, followed by a ribbon cutting and the September council meeting in the new chambers.
- Aronian Associates is completing conceptual improvements for the municipal office building at 100 Fairway Drive.
- Harbor Lights has grown into a popular monthly event attracting thousands of visitors, but is facing financial challenges; Mollis said he will seek council assistance to sustain it. Council members expressed support.
Wickford Advisory Committee Quarterly Report
- Chair Mike Dunney and Vice Chair George Brennan reported on the committee's recent work: advocating for EV charging stations in Wickford, supporting ARPA funding for Post Road and West Main sidewalks, helping form consensus on the Brown/Phillips/Boston Neck roundabout, forming subcommittees on the old town meeting house and Brown Street economic development and housing, pursuing flashing speed signs on West Main and Phillips Street, and continuing village tree plantings. They also noted new members Jeff Shapiro and Dana Long and thanked departing member Jean Milleransi.
- Council members suggested private or non-town funding for the old town meeting house and discussed a possible Wickford Junction-to-Wickford shuttle, trolley, or bike program, including a holiday pilot.
New Business: CRMC Application for Plum Beach Club
- The council approved filing no substantive objection to Coastal Resources Management Council Application Number 2021-02-053, allowing Plum Beach Club to modify the existing recreational boating facility for more stable floats at 255 Plum Beach Road, Plat 41, Lot 69. The approval included one condition consistent with the recommendation from the deputy director of public works: piles should be completely removed rather than cut off below marine bottom grade.
New Business: Board of Canvassers Appointments
- The council appointed Kent Dresser from alternate to full member of the Board of Canvassers until March 1, 2027, filling Patricia Fuller's unexpired term, and appointed Susan Petris as an alternate member until March 1, 2024. The appointments were endorsed by the Republican Party.
New Business: Adult-Use Cannabis Ballot Question
- The council voted to place on the November 2022 ballot a question on issuing related licenses for cultivation, manufacture, laboratory testing, and retail sales of adult recreational-use cannabis in North Kingstown. The council was advised that if it did not place the question on the ballot, the state could issue cannabis licenses without local regulation. The motion was approved without audible opposition.
New Business: Town Charter Amendment Ballot Questions
- Section 105, titled Property, would be amended to add lease to the town's property powers, subject to Section 314. Approved.
- Section 314 would require voter approval for leases of town lands or properties of 25 or more years, instead of the existing 10-year threshold. Approved.
- Section 314 would allow the Town Council to sell town real property without voter approval when the sales price does not exceed $300,000. The Charter Review Commission recommended $100,000; after discussion, the council set the threshold at $300,000. Approved.
- Section 405, titled Appointments, would be deleted and appointment and removal authority placed with the town manager under Section 507C. Approved.
- Section 802, titled Planning Commission, would remove the town manager, head of public works, and town engineer as ex officio members because they serve on the Technical Review Committee. Approved.
- Section 1305A would require Charter Review Commission review every 10 years instead of every 6 years. Approved.
- Section 1305 would allow the council, by unanimous vote of all five members, to adopt ordinances making administrative charter changes limited to grammar, sentence construction, standardization, renumbering, and compliance with federal and state law. Approved.
New Business: Town-School MOU and Correspondence
- Item 30, discussion of the Memorandum of Understanding between the town and school department regarding financial management, requested by Councilor Kerry McKay, was continued to the next meeting because McKay was not feeling well. The motion to continue was approved.
- Councilor Brimer read correspondence received since June 21, including messages about Judge McGorrell's report, public access legislation, beach signage, Mount View parking, Narragansett runestone preservation, fireworks feedback, Harbor Lights suggestions, charter amendment language concerns, and a speed limit sign request for Fletcher Estates.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent items and the separate donation and fireworks ratification packets.
- Approved the CRMC no-substantial-objection determination for Plum Beach Club with the condition that piles be completely removed.
- Appointed Kent Dresser and Susan Petris to the Board of Canvassers.
- Approved the adult-use cannabis licensing ballot question for November 2022.
- Approved seven charter amendment ballot questions for November 2022, including setting at $300,000 the real estate sales threshold that would not require voter approval.
- Continued the town-school financial management MOU discussion to the next regular meeting.
- The town manager indicated he would follow up on water leak detection, fire response coverage during the Davisville Bridge closure, Harbor Lights assistance, and a possible Wickford Junction-to-Wickford shuttle or trolley program.
- All approval votes were voice votes with no opposed votes noted; no roll-call tallies were recorded.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you everybody. I know everyone's having a good conversation. I appreciate that. So but we have to call this meeting to order for Monday, July 18th, 2022. Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws 42-46-6C. Notice of this meeting has been posted to the Secretary of State's website. Two members of our community that I know of, and I'm sure there are others, unfortunately, have passed away. So I'd ask that after we salute the flag, we stand for another moment in uh in their honor. So if you can join me with the flag, that'd be great. Thank you. Okay, we have a uh under item oh actually let's go to public comment. I apologize. Uh public comment, we have uh Mr. Richard Welch. Good evening. Richard Welch, eight Arrow Lane. Um couple of things. Uh one is that uh I want to thank the town manager publicly for uh paying attention to a problem over at the uh TJ Maxx parking lot where the collection bins were overflowing and uh creating quite an eyesore on Post Road, and that's been taken care of, and I thank the manager for seeing to get that straightened up. About three, three and a half years ago, while I was on the council, the water department came before us uh with a plan um for uh a ten-year, twenty million dollar infrastructure situation that would uh replace old infrastructure, etc. And at the time we had a lengthy discussion myself, uh councilwoman Bremer and Councilman uh Carrie McKay uh regarding the situation. And um you know, in the last three and a half years, quite frankly, I don't see anything being done. Now the the water department has and and been collecting money uh for the last maybe ten, twelve years from uh the the people on the water line, um, and has amassed almost nine million dollars to do this work, but yet uh has not spent any money uh to take care of this that I am aware of. Uh I asked that uh the water department uh look into where they have leaks and take care of the leaks before they change pipes just because they're old. And also work in coordination with the public works department, so we aren't repaving roads and then digging them up when we replace water lines. I see today that we had uh w another water break on uh Stony Lane. And you know, I've witnessed this uh numerous times over the last 10, 12 years. Matter of fact, neighbor of mine, he had a leak in the middle of the summer running down the the street for about eight weeks and wasn't taken care of. You know, there's there's something that attention, priority needs to be given to this water uh infrastructure situation. And you know, unfortunately, um it should have been taken along taken care of and started a long time ago. And I'm wondering what we can expect now that uh you know, some three, three and a half years has gone by. I guess I'm gonna get the same response when I ask if you're gonna put the recreation center on the ballot so the public can vote for it. I guess you don't know. Thank you. You're welcome. Um as it relates to the water, Ralph. I think that we had asked um Tim to put together a capital plan. We've been aggressively lobbying the state for water resources or for financial resources to um uh to improve our infrastructure. So what is the status of that? Sure. So a couple of things. Um first is that over the last couple of years we have spent some of that surplus to tackle some of the water infrastructure problems that you had mentioned that we discussed many years ago. Um we've also, as the president just mentioned, are trying to get some federal funds. But more importantly, just to go directly to your question and concern. About three or four months ago, the council authorized an expenditure for a leak detection survey. And in this particular, it's it's a brand new technology where and I don't understand it fully, um, where they fly over the community, and through infrared cameras and whatnot, there's only one company in the country that does this. They'll be able to look at our pipes and find those that are in need of repair due to there being leaks. Um we would have been done by now, except that after the council appropriated that up to a maximum maximum amount of dollars, a neighboring community saw that we did that, called and asked if we could do some cost saving and have them fly over their community as well. And so as a result, by having them fly over two communities, we're able to cut the cost in half. So it has delayed the project maybe 30 days. Um I would expect that we would have a report to the council either your August or September meeting, but it would be a re it's in a real efficient manner to find the leaks and then start spending that money where, as the as you had just mentioned, where we know there are leaks rather than search for them.
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