North Kingstown Town Council Meeting: Legislative Priorities, Wickford Roundabout, and Approvals - January 13, 2025

The North Kingstown Town Council met on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers at 80 Boston Neck Road. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment acknowledging victims of the West Greenwich tragedy, including North Kingstown graduate Danielle Aruda and her children, and those affected by the California wildfires. The agenda included a joint legislative-priorities session with the School Committee, public hearings, a consent agenda, the Town Manager's report, and new business. Public interest centered on the proposed Wickford mini roundabout; combining spoken testimony and email correspondence, the tally was 47 in favor and 29 against.

Special Business: Legislative Priorities

• The Town Council and School Committee presented legislative priorities including state education aid, special education funding and unfunded mandates, early intervention and pre-K services, transportation and education-support wages, enabling legislation for town tax exemptions, houseboat legislation, Route 4-West Allenton Road and Oak Hill Road intersections, and continuation of Municipal Road Program funding.
• Legislators described a projected state budget deficit of about $320 million, with tax increases generally off the table; existing local aid was not expected to be cut, but new funding would be difficult.
• Sen. Valverde and Sen. DiMario said recent early-intervention funding has reduced waitlists; Sen. DiMario is working on options to allow children turning three to remain in early intervention rather than abruptly transitioning to preschool special education, with funding details still being resolved.
• School Committee representatives highlighted growing pre-K and early-intervention needs, staff shortages, and active contract negotiations with education support professionals and bus drivers, and urged legislators not to impose mandates without resources.
• The delegation and council discussed a North Kingstown Day at the State House, likely in late March or early April, and Rep. Casimiro said she is working on a high school cell phone policy.

Public Hearings

• Sweet Marie's Tea Cottage: no speakers; the council approved the Class C alcoholic beverage and victualling license change of location from 25 West Main Street to 7 Main Street.
• Stop signs: no speakers; the council approved the second reading amendment to Section 11-66 adding stop signs at Bayberry Drive at Congdon Avenue, Wysteria Court at Morningside Drive, and Peachtree Road at Brookhaven Road.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved by one motion items 9 (Tax Abatement List #879 for $774.15), 10 (donations totaling $1,311.00), 11 ($3,000 donation for Al's Kids Recreation Program Scholarships), and items 14-18, including the Zoning Board resignation/appointment matter, a detective license renewal for Martin Hyman, a TANK Book Festival exhibition license, a Tractor Supply holiday sales license renewal, and nine Waste Management commercial refuse collector license renewals.
• Item 8, the December 16, 2024 minutes, was pulled by Councilwoman Beth Hill Ross because it omitted her prior request concerning a senior tax freeze; it was continued for revision.
• Item 12, a $30,000 donation from the North Kingstown 350th Anniversary Steering Committee, was approved separately with Councilman Matthew McCoy recused.
• Item 13, a Golf Course clubhouse insulation bid, was approved after discussion: $64,297 to Red Oak Remodeling, Inc. with a 15% contingency due to unknown blown-in insulation conditions.

Town Manager's Report

• The FY2024 audit is expected to be finalized that week, with a presentation planned for the January 27 council meeting; the audit shows growing town and school surpluses and interest income that lowers the tax rate.
• The Allen Harbor dredging project is complete. The Senior Center holiday program assisted 123 families and almost 300 children, received $12,848 in monetary donations plus toys and 21 directly adopted families, about 20% more families than last year.
• Seasonal employee wage tables were adjusted because of the January 1 state minimum wage increase, affecting golf course, Allen Harbor, and summer camp budgets. The finance department received two national awards from the Government Finance Officers Association.
• The state approved a parking restriction on Boston Neck Road from Beach Street to Fairway Drive. A comprehensive climate-resilience and comprehensive plan update is expected at a March council meeting.
• Preliminary senior tax freeze figures: using 2025 assessed values for roughly 2,300 seniors receiving exemptions, total property value is about $1.4 billion; with 2% tax rate growth, a freeze could reduce annual revenue by about $432,000, growing each year. Mollis said such a loss would have required a tax increase this year and would shift burdens to families. A fuller analysis is planned for March/April.
• Municipal parking lot: QR code repaired, concrete footings completed, retaining wall under construction; because the wall is historic, existing stones must be reused and any new stones must match; completion expected by end of February.
• Construction of the Revolution Wind offshore wind farm continues, with another coordination meeting scheduled for that Thursday.

Wickford Roundabout Update

• Town Manager Mollis reviewed the history: RIDOT and public safety officials concluded in 2020-2021 that the Brown Street-Boston Neck Road-Phillips Street intersection is dangerous and unconventional - one of only two in Rhode Island where entering traffic at the T-intersection has right of way - and that a three-way stop or signal would create backups and safety issues. The then-town council unanimously endorsed a mini roundabout after public meetings, with support from the Wickford Advisory Committee and businesses.
• RIDOT has invested $209,000 in design and engineering. The design stays within existing pavement, uses mountable three-inch granite curbs, stamped colored concrete splitter islands, shorter pedestrian crossings, and no additional lighting. It is a projected six-to-eight-week project, with bidding in spring and construction expected in fall before sidewalk work.
• Mollis said reversing course after five years could damage the town's credibility and future state funding requests, especially for Route 4. He planned to respond to RIDOT Director Peter Alviti's letter by noting the council took no action to reverse the approach.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Many residents spoke in favor of the roundabout, citing the transparent public process, expert testimony from RIDOT and local public safety officials, safety benefits, successful mini roundabouts in European historic villages, and the need to preserve the town's relationship with RIDOT. One engineer cited national data that roundabouts reduce severe injury and fatality crashes by 78 to 82 percent.
• Opponents and concerned residents said a stop sign should be tried, the design may confuse drivers or increase speeds, construction could hurt businesses, and pedestrian safety remained a concern. A former town public works director called it a likely mistake and asked that conversion to a three-way stop remain possible. One resident requested a scale demonstration video; another asked about pedestrian-actuated blinking lights, which council members said federal highway rules prohibit on this state road.
• Several residents challenged Councilwoman Hill Ross's change.org petition, asking her to substantiate claims about safety, history, truck access, merchant opposition, and alleged backroom meetings. Others defended publicizing the issue. Hill Ross said the petition was not submitted to the town and she would try to provide it to the council.
• One resident proposed replacing the current senior property exemption with a $1,000 annual property tax credit for long-term senior homeowners.
• Frank Sullivan spoke against the 10,000-panel solar project in Davisville, saying opponents had hired a lawyer and criticizing the process.
• Council President Mancini reported a tally of 31 in-person speakers for the roundabout and 8 against; email counts were 21 against, 16 in favor, and 1 unclear. Combining speakers and correspondence produced 47 in favor and 29 against.

New Business

• The council unanimously approved a resolution recognizing Major General Christopher P. Callahan, Adjutant General of Rhode Island, for four decades of military service ahead of his January 31 retirement. Councilman McCoy noted Brigadier General Andrew Chevalier, also of North Kingstown, has been designated as his relief.
• The council scheduled a public hearing for March 10, 2025, on the request by Bill Pennoyer, for the Veterans Day and Memorial Day Parades Committee, to name part of the property adjacent to the Municipal Parking Lot as 'Anchor Park.' Council members questioned how the name fits the town naming policy and said testimony would be heard.
• Attorney Dane Ardente, for George Morabit, presented a concept request to modify dedicated open space through a land swap at 474 Gilbert Stuart Road, AP 37, Lot 1/AP 39, Lots 7 and 34. He said past maps were recorded in error and the family wants to build four residential lots while preserving conservation restrictions. Council members did not concede a mistake but gave a consensus to work with the applicant through preliminary plan review.

Correspondence

• The clerk reported emails from Mary Warbeck and Meg Kerr on climate, energy, and comprehensive plan matters; Stacy Weinstein on the library board appointment; Donna Hutchinson and Chelsea Dumas Gibbs on pickleball hours at Wilson Park; Nialis Johnson, a high school student, on affordable housing and engagement; and Everett Stewart on exploring the state police barracks as new town offices.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Sweet Marie's Tea Cottage license transfer.
• Approved stop sign ordinance amendments at three intersections.
• Approved all consent agenda items as described and continued the December 16, 2024 minutes for revision.
• Approved the resolution honoring Major General Callahan.
• Scheduled the Anchor Park public hearing for March 10, 2025.
• Gave consensus for the Morabit land-swap concept to proceed through preliminary plan review.
• Took no vote to reverse the Wickford roundabout; the manager will notify RIDOT that no action was taken, keeping the project on its spring bid and fall construction path.
• The next council meeting, on January 27, 2025, will include the audit presentation and the police speed-zone report.