North Kingstown Town Council Meeting - July 17, 2023

The North Kingstown Town Council met on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included multiple public hearings, consent agenda approvals, extensive discussion on consolidating the Groundwater Committee with the Conservation Commission, and a town manager's report covering infrastructure, middle school planning, and other updates. Several items were approved, while others were tabled or continued to future meetings.

Consent Calendar

• Approved routine items including: donation receipt ($15.00), contract extension for Land Evidence Recording System (GovOS), award of sole source contract for satellite leak detection (Asterra, $59,000/year for 3 years), engineering services for Saunderstown Village Water Main Replacement (Pare Corporation, $130,800), authorization to enter into agreements with Rhode Island Energy for LED lighting at parks, ratification of retaining Epiq credit monitoring and Rasky Partners communication firm related to the April 2023 cyber attack, agreement with RIDOT for sidewalk project, acceptance of two legislative grants ($2,000 and $2,500), Class F alcohol license for St. Paul's Church, entertainment license for West Bay Community Theater, holiday sales license transfer and renewals, and a new victualling license for Chipotle Mexican Grill.
• Items 14 and 15 (water supply contracts) and Item 19 (sidewalk agreement) were removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion and approved after explanation.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Richard Welch (8 Arrow Lane) urged the council to take action on the bridge over Route 403 at Davisville Road, which has been unusable for over two years, causing detours for businesses and emergency services. He expressed frustration at lack of progress and called on council to pressure state officials, noting that previous efforts (e.g., rotary at 2/102, traffic lights on Route 4) were stalled.
• Susan Tash (7 Stillman Road), Georgine Edwards (24 Saunders Road), and Thor Johnson (32 Stillman Road) all spoke in support of awarding the engineering contract for water main replacement in Saunderstown, citing frequent water main breaks that damage property and disrupt service. They urged approval.
• Curtis Fisher (104 Phillips Street) expressed concern about a long-standing agreement to supply water to Jamestown during emergencies, arguing that Jamestown should improve its own reservoirs rather than risk overpumping North Kingstown's shallow wells during droughts. Town Manager Molls and Water Department representatives clarified the agreement is rarely used (only twice in 35 years) and is currently under renegotiation with state health oversight.

Discussion Items

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Application (Item 4): The public hearing was opened and closed with no public testimony. Council authorized Town Manager to file the application for $500,000 to upgrade Yorktown Park, $183,563 for housing services, and $5,000 for recreation camp scholarships.
• Second Reading - Amendment to Energy Advisory Commission (Item 5): Public hearing held with no testimony. Approved. The commission had been inactive; staff handles energy initiatives internally.
• Second Reading - Amendment to Conservation Commission and Groundwater Committee Consolidation (Item 6): Extensive discussion. Aaron Cohen (400 Forge Road) and Kathleen Garino (139 Summit View Lane) opposed the dissolution of the Groundwater Committee, citing lack of transparency, the importance of water protection, PFAS contamination, and the heavy workload already faced by the Conservation Commission. Council President Mancini proposed making the Groundwater Committee a subcommittee of the Conservation Commission with defined roles. Town Manager Molls expressed concern about staff being put in an unfair position, but council decided to table the amendment and ask administration to return with a detailed proposal within a few months. Motion to table passed unanimously.
• Second Reading - Amendment to Competitive Bidding Ordinance (Item 7): Public hearing closed; approved. The amendment updates bid thresholds by the Boston Regional CPI as required annually.
• Second Reading - Amendment to Police Officers' Disability Pensions (Item 8): Public hearing closed; approved.
• Second Reading - Zoning Map Amendments for 70 and 84 Pleasant Valley Road (Item 9): Public hearing closed; approved.
• Town Manager's Report (Item 27): Ralph Molls reported on ITAC meeting (June 28), upcoming virtual meeting with RI Airport Corporation, real estate tax bill delay with extended due date to August 15, fire apparatus status (ladder 2 repairs nearly complete, engine 3 radiator failure, new engine 5 arriving September), fire department antique apparatus awards, AED installation progress, West Main Street/Post Road sidewalk project timeline (design fall 2023, bid early 2024, construction early 2025), CDBG application details, State Traffic Commission decision on crosswalk near Town Hall (expected July 19), EVE Clulow's 55 Brown Street project update (redesign may reduce costs; will present revised plan on September 11), and middle school building subcommittee update (Quinnesett site tabled; school committee approved testing only at Davisville Middle School for a single large school, but subcommittee favors two smaller schools; bond referendum timeline discussed).
• Resolution Discharging Groundwater Committee (Item 28): Tabled pending the above consolidation discussion.
• Authorization for Tide Gauge at Brown Street (Item 29): Council debated the $82,900 cost. Some members questioned whether data from an existing gauge at Quonset Point would suffice. Planning Director Nicole LaFontaine and Water Department staff argued that a visible gauge in Wickford would educate the public about sea level rise impacts. A motion to continue the item to the August meeting passed (3-2) to allow investigation of potential cost savings using existing data.
• Authorization to Investigate Nomination for Additional Rights-of-Way to Tidal Waters (Item 30): Approved. Staff will continue assessment of two sites for CRMC designation.
• Amendment to Town Council Meeting Schedule (Item 31): Approved. The August 21 meeting was moved to August 16 (a Wednesday) to accommodate council schedules.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: CDBG application filing; amendments to Energy Advisory Commission, Competitive Bidding Ordinance, Police Disability Pensions, and zoning map for Pleasant Valley Road; consent agenda items (with separate votes on items 14, 15, 19); authorization to investigate tidal rights-of-way; meeting schedule change.
• Tabled: Amendment to Conservation Commission (consolidation with Groundwater Committee) – administration to return with subcommittee proposal within a few months; Resolution discharging Groundwater Committee.
• Continued to August 2023: Authorization for tide gauge at Brown Street – staff to explore cost-saving alternatives.
• Observations: The council directed town manager to prioritize Yorktown Park improvements regardless of CDBG grant outcome, and will decide on middle school bond referendum timing at the August meeting.