North Kingstown Town Council Meeting – November 18, 2024

The North Kingstown Town Council met on Monday, November 18, 2024, at Town Hall Council Chambers, 80 Boston Neck Road, beginning with a 6:45 p.m. executive session under RIGL 42-46-4 and 42-46-5(6) on a prospective PILOT agreement, followed by the regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. The council voted to seal executive session minutes, saluted the flag, observed a moment of silence for Lane Lidwell and two South Kingstown crash victims, and heard farewell remarks from Councilor Katie Anderson in her last full meeting.

Public Hearings

• Alcoholic beverage, victualling, dance, entertainment, billiard, amusement, and jukebox license renewals: no public speakers; the council approved renewals through December 1, 2025.
• Ryan Park Cross-Country Path naming: Michael McGovern spoke in support of naming the path after Paul Tetreault, citing his 42 years as North Kingstown High School cross-country coach, his disabled-sports advocacy connected to the precursor of the Paralympics, service as head official of the Boston Marathon wheelchair division, National Coach of the Year recognition, and Hall of Fame inductions. The course was created by Tetreault about 30 years ago; the named section is about 1.5 miles of the 2.5-mile course. Endorsements came from the North Kingstown Boosters Club, Athletic Department, and Leisure Services Activity Committee, and the Boosters will fund the plaque. Tetreault thanked the council, and the naming was approved.
• Whistleblower Complaints ordinance (Section 14-25): although the agenda described a second-reading amendment, the motion was to delete the existing ordinance in its entirety. No public speakers; deletion was approved as part of replacing the ordinance with a policy later in the meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Katie Cooney remembered Lane Lidwell, an NK teacher and coach who died November 16, 2024 after a battle with cancer. She described his generosity and asked residents to support a GoFundMe for his family, with a portion intended to continue charitable giving. The council posted the GoFundMe link.
• Kathleen Gorino thanked departing council members for their responsiveness, praised their service, and thanked Ralph Mollis for help with whistleblower questions.
• Brett Mallory asked the council to address the intersection at Devil's Foot Road, Newcomb Road, and U.S. 1, citing frequent conflicts between left-turning vehicles from Newcomb and right-turning vehicles headed toward the transfer station. Town Manager Ralph Mollis said he would contact RIDOT and the State Traffic Commission and report back.
• Brenda Potter and Joe Galicchio, on behalf of the new nonprofit Historic North Kingstown, endorsed the Save America's Treasures application and urged a federal earmark to renovate the 1807 Old Townhouse. They said Historic Wickford is chartered to focus on Wickford Village, while their group would serve all eight villages and eventually operate a museum.

Consent Agenda

• The council approved routine items 10–13 and 17–21 by one motion, including October 28, 2024 meeting minutes; $2,475 in donations; Rini Georgekutty's resignation from the Library Board of Trustees; acceptance of a $48,709.04 Federal Fire Disaster Relief Grant through Exeter Volunteer Fire Department No. 1 for the 2023 Queens River Wildfire; 2025 detective license renewals; an exhibition license for the North Kingstown Arts Council's Shady Lea Mill open studios tour on December 7–8, 2024; victualling, dance, and amusement license renewals; and final bond reductions of $33,695.18 for Dusty Hollow and $60,402.41 for Tide Mill Landings South.
• Items 14, 15, and 16 were pulled and voted separately.
  • Item 14: Authorization to apply to the National Park Service FY2024 Historic Preservation Fund – Save America's Treasures Program was approved.
  • Items 15 and 16: The Yorktown Park renovation package was approved — $408,593.30 for specialized playground equipment and surfacing from M. E. O'Brien & Sons, Inc. and $353,924.70 award of bid to Beausoleil Bros., Inc. for general site construction, both ARPA-funded. Recreation Director Chelsea Dumas-Gibbs said the playground would be moved to higher elevation to address flooding, a pollinator/sensory garden would be added, the track and backstop improved, and permanent concrete ping-pong tables installed.

Discussion Items

• Analysis of Tax Exemptions (Item 9): Tax Assessor Deb Garno presented a review of 11–12 comparable communities. Recommendations included converting from assessment-based exemptions to a tax-credit system, reducing the flat senior exemption ownership requirement from 15 years to 5 years, and increasing the veterans' exemption from $179 to $200. She estimated all proposed changes on the FY24 tax roll would reduce revenue by about $48,000, or roughly one cent on the tax rate. Town Manager Mollis cautioned that FY26 will be challenging due to a proposed state deficit, bond projects, salary contract costs, and loss of ESSER/federal funds. Councilor Mandel noted about one-third of the town's approximately 28,000 residents are seniors and expressed concern for fixed-income seniors. Councilor Anderson questioned exemptions without income/wealth caps and their effect on working families. Mollis said draft enabling legislation would be placed on the December 16, 2024 agenda.
• Town Manager's Report: Included Revolution Wind construction updates; a November 7 RIDOT site walk for the Wickford sidewalk/roundabout projects with spring 2025 bidding and summer 2025 construction, and fall 2025 roundabout work; municipal office building renovation bids significantly above budget with a December 30, 2024 deadline to use ARPA funds within the $2.5 million budget; State Traffic Commission speed-limit changes on Route 403 and Roger Williams Way; a forthcoming police traffic/speed report; holiday programs; Buddy Bench unveiling December 10 at Wilson Park; New Year's Plunge January 1; Festival of Lights December 5–8; staff recognitions; North Kingstown's fifth-lowest property tax levy increase in Rhode Island; and a parking lot update with the wall hoped to be complete by Christmas and full project completion in summer 2025.
• Boards, Committees, and Commissions (Item 23): Staff updated the council on the board handbook revision, attendance requirements, written reporting expectations, and the Conservation Commission/groundwater merger. Councilor Mandel urged in-person reports and a schedule; staff preferred flexibility. The council discussed recognition of volunteers and scheduling challenges.
• Whistleblower Policy (Item 24): Town Manager Mollis presented a comprehensive policy to replace the repealed ordinance, including a screening committee for reports involving the town manager or town solicitor. Councilor Mandel offered an amendment allowing such complaints to be reported to the audit committee's screening committee or to the town council through the town council president. The amendment passed 4–1 on roll call, with Councilor McCoy voting no. The final policy then passed over one opposing vote; McCoy said he did not believe a screening committee was needed.
• PILOT First Amendment (Item 25): The council authorized the town manager to finalize a First Amendment to the Payment-in-Lieu-of-Tax agreement with MBQ LLC/Quonset Development Corporation for a sixth gateway office building in Quonset Business Park. The amended PILOT adds $964,797.13 over the remaining 12 years, with a supplemental payment in FY2025 and full payments beginning in FY2026.
• 55 Brown Street (Item 26): The town had received notice that owner Eve Clulow accepted an offer of $207,000. The administration recommended against exercising the town's right of first refusal, citing unbudgeted costs, lost tax/sewer/water revenue, and an estimated renovation cost exceeding $1 million. The council voted to decline the option.
• Correspondence (Item 27): Councilor McCoy summarized emails received since October 28, 2024 on topics including street light activation, ARPA funds, speeding, sidewalk follow-ups, a water pump, and 17 identical emails recommending endorsement for a school committee chair, which the council noted was not its responsibility.

Key Outcomes

• Approved license renewals through December 1, 2025.
• Approved naming the Ryan Park Cross-Country Path the “Paul Tetreault Trail.”
• Repealed the Whistleblower Complaints ordinance and adopted a new Whistleblower Policy with the Mandel amendment adding a reporting path to the town council through its president.
• Approved all consent agenda items, including the Save America's Treasures application and Yorktown Park contracts.
• Authorized the PILOT First Amendment adding $964,797.13 over 12 years.
• Declined the right of first refusal for 55 Brown Street.
• Directed placement of tax exemption recommendations and draft enabling legislation on the December 16, 2024 town council agenda.