The North Kingstown Town Council met on Monday, July 13, 2026, at 7:00 PM in Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including public comments on ongoing nuisances (solar farm noise, asphalt odors), approval of consent agenda items, reports from the Town Manager and Finance Director, and detailed discussions on the public safety complex bond project costs and public comment policy.
They really like going to like the water park area. Molly is so big. I remember Katie's kids involved. They got married at this point. I wonder if my mother my son's mother in law who was involved in helping fan their wedding. She's like an event person. Maybe. I took Molly once. She was almost six, and I'll take Betsy next year when she's six. The People's House of North Kingstown. Pursuant to an Island Journal of Laws forty-two forty six has six the notice of this meeting has been posted on the Secretary of State's website. First item uh to go over is a motion to go in executive session. Pursuant to an island general laws forty six forty uh forty two forty-six four and forty six forty uh forty-two forty six five. Uh subsection two uh litigation discuss possible settlement in the rolling meadow uh way association versus Madison et wall in the town of North Kingstown as an interest party. I would entertain a motion for executive session. So moved. Second. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Thank you. You just walked up to a microphone, waited to get acknowledged, and said you're the piece. And you did this at any point during the course of the meeting. Um I don't recall it ever running over three minutes, four minutes, whatever. And it makes a lot of sense when you think about a discussion that is going to require a vote. And those the folks in the audience, the the public, the taxpayers, given the opportunity to express their opinion about uh the discussion and uh and the vote, the possible vote. Um I was in the position of being uh president of this town council. Um I was in the position of being uh president of this town council, um I did that. I acknowledge the people who would stand up and want to be recognized and allow them to speak. Um in the charter, it's very explicit. It says that the public will be given the opportunity to speak. And saying that they can only speak for three minutes is not in the charter. This is something that has been instituted, and quite frankly, I object to it. I object to not being able to talk during the meeting when there's going to be a vote taken on something, because the public has something very interesting and important to say. It's called their opinion. And that's why you're elected to represent the people. It's not a personal opinion. It's an opinion, and it's for the best interest of the people. So I would agree with the request by Councilwoman Ross that this should be part of the the situation and should change. And I thank you very much for the opportunity to express myself. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Welch. Uh Eric Benson. Good evening. Eric Benson, uh 146 Old Mill Lane. Um I came to this meeting uh concerning the noise level uh of the solar farm that's being built behind my house, and it has gone up immensely. Um I'm I hopefully someday they'll build a barrier like they've done up in Massachusetts on line 128, the noise barriers just to keep the integrity of the neighborhoods, it's right behind my house. And uh I'll go I won't speak for three minutes about this whole thing, but you know that's just it it's it's really a cry and shame. But they want to build this solar farm, so thank you very much.