North Kingstown Town Council Meeting - December 5, 2022: Oath Ceremony, Leadership Elections, and Appointments
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North Kingstown Town Council Meeting – December 5, 2022
The North Kingstown Town Council met on Monday, December 5, 2022, at 7:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The swearing-in of newly elected council members and school committee members, the election of council leadership, and multiple appointments to town positions were completed without public comment or opposition. Incoming Council President Gregory Mancini outlined a broad, ambitious agenda for 2023.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the regular meeting from November 28, 2022.
- Approved the 2023 Town Council meeting schedule.
- Adopted the budget policies and procedures for Fiscal Year 2023/2024, which were unchanged from the version revised in 2020.
- Accepted the resignation of Matthew McCoy as the Veterans Affairs Representative.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public signed up or spoke during the public comment period.
Discussion Items
- Outgoing Council Presentation: Outgoing Council members Mary Brimer and Kerry McKay were recognized and thanked for their service.
- Oath of Office: Congressman-elect Seth Magaziner administered the oath of office to the newly elected Town Council members (Gregory Mancini, Katherine Anderson, Mary Brimer, Kerry McKay, Dr. Kimberly Page) and to the School Committee members elect (Aaron Earl West, Tom Riety). Magaziner thanked the families of all elected officials for their sacrifice.
- Election of Town Council President: Councilmember Katherine Anderson nominated Gregory Mancini, who was elected by acclamation.
- Election of Town Council President Pro-Tem: Councilmember Mary Brimer nominated Dr. Kimberly Page, who was elected by acclamation.
- President Mancini’s Remarks: Mancini thanked his family, town employees, department heads, and the outgoing council members. He noted that for the first time since 1984, all five council members are from the same party (Democrats)—a historic first in that all five are not from the Republican Party. His agenda for 2023 included: developing a responsible budget, maintaining town buildings and schools, renovating Yorktown Park, improving the town website, renovating the municipal office building, addressing deficiencies in the public safety complex, improving communication with advisory committees, addressing Post Road challenges, researching open space acquisition, tackling housing shortages and climate change, collaborating with Quonset to expand the commercial tax base, completing the Post Road/West Main sidewalk project, addressing Route 4 traffic signal challenges, completing the roundabout, and exploring a bike lane from Wickford Junction Park and Garage. He also pledged to support private developments such as the apartment complex near the train station and the Wickford Elementary School condominium project where possible.
- Appointment of Municipal Court Clerk/Magistrate: Jeanette Alard was nominated and appointed unanimously to a term ending December 2, 2024.
- Appointment of Municipal Court Judge: David Reilly was nominated and appointed unanimously to a term ending December 2, 2024.
- Appointment of Town Sergeant: Joel Rocha was nominated and appointed unanimously.
- Appointment of Town Solicitor and Assistant Solicitor: Matt Callaghan and James Callaghan were reappointed.
- Appointment of Town Solicitor for Labor Relations: Robert Brooks of Adler Pollock & Sheehan was appointed.
- Appointment of Bond Counsel: Taft Stettinius & Hollister (referred to as "Taft McSally" in the transcript) was appointed.
Key Outcomes
- All appointments, elections, and approvals were approved unanimously by voice vote with no opposition.
- The new council will begin work under President Gregory Mancini and President Pro-Tem Dr. Kimberly Page.
- The next steps include implementation of the 2023 agenda items as outlined by President Mancini.
- A reception for the council and attendees was held after the meeting at the Carriage Inn.
Meeting Transcript
Uh good evening everybody. Thank you all for coming. I'm gonna call this meeting to order. Uh pursuant to Rhod Island General Laws uh forty-two dash forty six dash six C notice this meeting has been posted with the Secretary of State's website. And if everyone could join me and stand and salute to the flag, I'd appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. So we do have a posted agenda. We're gonna go by the posted agenda. Um next on the agenda is public comment. Madam Clerk, do we have anybody who signed up for public comment? Okay, does anyone wish to make a public comment at this particular time? Hearing none, I'm gonna move on to item five, which is approval of the minutes of the last town council meeting, November twenty-eighth. I'd attend a motion to approve those minutes. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Well, those in favor say aye. Any opposed, the ayes have it. Item six is a presentation, the outgoing council. Uh Madam Clerk, do you have the I am ready? Uh let's do uh Mary Bremer first, and I'm gonna be able to do that. Uh Madam Clerk, now we are going to administer the oath of office for the council elect and then the school committee. Can we have our uh general treasurer and congressman elect Mr. Seth Magazina has graciously appeared to come today? He's got a very busy schedule. One of his first duties, I guess, is a congressman. He's gonna uh or Congressman elect uh give us the oath of office. So shall we uh stand here or go in front of the podium? I agree. Well, if you all indulge me for just a moment, um thank you for uh inviting me in and uh uh I'm honored by the invitation. Um North Kingstown is a wonderful community, it's an economic engine for our state, it's a wonderful place to live, and only because there are people who are willing to step up and sacrifice uh in positions of leadership uh in service of the community. So to all of the uh incoming and outgoing members of the council and the school committee, thank you very much, and thank you also to the families of all of those individuals. It is a sacrifice for everyone, and so uh I'd ask that everyone please just join me in a round of applause for the families of these individuals. With that, please raise your hands and repeat after me. I solemnly swear that I will support the constitutions of the United States of America and of the state of Rhode Island, and will obey the laws of the United States and the state of Rhode Island, that I will in all respects observe the provisions of the charter and ordinances of the town of North Kingstown, and will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Town Council. Congratulations. Now we are going to have the uh administration oath of our school committee elect. So if our school committee members elect committees, uh school committee elect members can come forward and take the oath of office with uh congressman elect uh Seth Magazina, Aaron Earl West, and Tom Riety. Raise your hands. I solemnly swear that I will support the constitutions of the United States of America and of the state of Rhode Island, and will obey the laws of the United States, and of the state of Rhode Island that I will in all respects observe provisions of the charter and ordinances of the town of North Kingstown and will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of School Committee. Thank you. Now do you want to take a moment, Madam Clerk? So the people from the school committee, you have a meeting, I guess you're going to attend to. Is that so if you want to leave now, and then I'm going to turn the podium over to uh clerk uh for the election of town council president. So members of the school committee and your friends and family, thank you for coming. We're looking forward to working with you in a collaborative way. Madam Clerk, the floor is yours. Uh yeah, whenever you're ready. On the agenda is election of town council president.
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