The Town Council held a regular meeting on Monday, January 8, 2024, at 7:00 PM in Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included three public hearings, public comment, a consent agenda, reports from the Town Manager and the School Building Subcommittee, and several new business items. Key actions included approval of ordinance amendments, acceptance of a school committee resignation, and appointment to the Audit Committee.
The Council approved Items 8 through 16 unanimously by one motion. Items included approval of minutes (November 20 and December 11, 2023), receipt of donations ($5,045.12), acceptance of a cemetery fund grant ($408), authorization for a concession agreement amendment, contract extension for solid waste disposal ($26,727.28), detective license renewals, refuse collector licenses, victualling/dance/amusement license renewals, and a bond reduction for Gilbert Lane (from $210,962.39 to $21,096.21). No items were removed from the consent agenda.
The meeting adjourned unanimously.
I have done it. Yes, very good. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Brandon, we're all set. Good job. Good evening. I like to call this meeting order for Monday, January eighth, twenty twenty four. Uh welcome to the People's House in North Kingstown. Uh pursuant to Rhod Island General Laws forty two dash forty-six dash six C. Notice of this meeting has been posted with the Secretary of State's website. I'd ask everyone to stand and join the salute to the flag. Thank you. Article five, entitled Boards and Commissions. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed. Right now we only have one person signing up for this, and that is Kathy. As a concerned citizen and current member of the groundwater committee, I strongly recommend that the words advocate for the water department be removed. I also strongly re recommend removing the words in a best practices manner. My reasoning for the above noted changes is as follows. The amendment basically states that the Conservation Commission will have a duty to support and advocate for the Water Department. It goes without saying that the Conservation Commission will do its best to support the Water Department. However, stating that it is the duty of the Conservation Commission to advocate for the Water Department is going too far. That is a confusing and ambiguous phrase. Please note that nowhere in the ordinance does it state that there is a need for the Conservation Commission to support and advocate for, say, the planning department. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, to quote a phrase. The lack of consistency is ambiguous and confusing. The phrase needs to be removed from the amendment or rewritten so that it makes sense. In addition, I would request the removal of the words in a best practices manner. That is a vague and unclear phrase and would not be clearly understood by the general public. If that phrase remains in the amendment, I would recommend that it be clearly defined so that anyone would understand what it means. Based on all of the above, I would suggest that the amendment before you this evening not be approved until the language I have described is removed or rewritten. Thank you. Thank you. Does anyone else want to speak on item four? Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing. Moved. Second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Does anyone want to take the lead on the uh possible approval or possible amendments to this proposed ordinance? Yes, Ms. Anderson. So I had spoken uh earlier today via email with Ralph following um Kathleen's email and an email we got from another citizen. Ralph, I don't know if you want to share some possible amendments uh that could be made to the language in light of these concerns. Sure. Thank you. And thank you for reaching out to me with that today.