North Kingstown Town Council Meeting - August 17, 2026

The North Kingstown Town Council met on Monday, August 17, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered a range of topics including the controversial use of Flock automatic license plate readers, a proposed ordinance to ban the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, updates on the public safety complex construction, and ongoing complaints about asphalt odors from the Bitumar facility. Public comment was extensive and passionate, with significant opposition to the Flock cameras and support for the pet store ban. The council voted 3-2 to terminate the Flock camera contract and approved a guaranteed maximum price for the public safety complex.

Consent Calendar

• Items 5–17: Approved unanimously except items 13 and 14 (Class F alcoholic beverage license and exhibition license for VFW Post 152 Family Day event) which were removed from the consent agenda. Councilor McCoy recused himself due to his VFW membership. Those two items were then approved by a separate vote (all in favor).

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Cotter (16 Green Meadow Circle): Raised concerns about a conflict of interest and lack of transparency in the police department, alleging that a high-ranking captain was shielded from public records requests. He requested an independent review of the town manager's office and police records practices.
• Ethan Cayley (125 Atlantic Avenue): Opposed Flock cameras, describing them as a cloud-based AI surveillance network that captures vehicle fingerprints and wireless signals. He argued that solving some crimes does not justify tracking innocent residents.
• Randall Curtis (680 Stony Lane): Emphasized self-government and stated that residents generally oppose the cameras, regardless of police convenience.
• Elizabeth Stearns (63 High Bank Avenue): Expressed deep concern about continued use of Flock cameras, citing privacy issues.
• Pam Manson (51 High Bank Avenue): Supported the pet store ordinance, arguing that USDA approval is merely a business license and does not guarantee humane treatment.
• Christine Manjanoff (73 Congden Avenue): Detailed the suffering of dogs in puppy mills and urged the council to ban retail dog sales, noting that similar transitions have been successful elsewhere.
• John McGean (25 Fowler Street): Asked for clarity on the suspension of Flock cameras and supported immediate termination. He referenced Supreme Court cases on cell phone tracking.
• Bill Flynn (16 Dawes Avenue): Opposed Flock cameras, citing lack of state guidelines and documented misuse by police, including sharing data with ICE.
• Madeline McGunnagle (ACLU of RI): Supported termination of the Flock contract but noted that if the council adopts the ACLU's proposed safeguards, the ACLU could support continued use.
• Michael Marbello (owner of Fishbowl Aquarium): Defended his pet store, stating that his puppies come from reputable breeders, are vet-checked, and have passed multiple DEM inspections. He argued that the town misled him by allowing the business before issuing a notice of violation for overnight boarding.
• Richard Lalow (190 West Main Street): Opposed Flock cameras, expressing fear of a surveillance state and questioning data sharing with federal agencies. The town manager confirmed that the town does not share data with federal agencies.
• Patricia Serpa (former state representative): Supported the pet store ban, describing her efforts to pass similar legislation at the state level and noting that West Warwick has a grandfathering ordinance.
• Angie Sheehan (35 High Bank Avenue): Presented a support letter from veterinarians and trainers, stating that 90% of pet store puppies come from puppy mills, leading to health and behavioral issues.
• Lucy O'Hanson (Fort Liberty Road): Said that purchasing puppies from pet stores is unethical and that the town should not support the puppy mill pipeline. She cited declining pet store puppy sales nationwide.
• Alyssa Knapp (24 Parkside Way): Raised concerns about deforestation for a solar farm near Furwood Drive, which cleared 27 acres and 4,600 trees, sitting above a sole source aquifer. She asked about the town's plan to protect groundwater and urged restrictions on herbicide use.
• Nadine Swanson (540 School Street): Opposed Flock cameras, criticized school speed cameras, and supported the pet store ordinance. She also noted the ongoing asphalt odor issue.
• Todd Sheehan (35 High Bank Avenue): Opposed Flock cameras and pet store puppy sales, arguing that the town is complicit in animal cruelty by supporting puppy mills.
• Emily Gamage (10 Phillips Street): Opposed Flock cameras, stating that data security cannot be guaranteed and that surveillance kills liberty.
• Richard Welch (8 Arrow Lane): Opposed both Flock cameras and pet store puppy sales. He also complained about the poor condition of Post Road and urged the council to demand better maintenance from the state.

Discussion Items

• Flock Cameras: Councilor McCoy presented a motion to immediately disable and remove all automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) owned by the town and state police, and to prohibit new contracts without council approval. He cited his background in military intelligence and surveillance systems, as well as concerns about civil liberties and data misuse. Council President Mancini and Councilor Page argued for waiting to hear from Police Chief Urban before making a final decision, suggesting a suspension until the September 28 meeting. Councilor Drew supported termination, citing community trust and the for-profit nature of Flock Safety. After debate, the motion passed 3-2 (McCoy, Drew, Hill Ross in favor; Mancini, Page against). The town manager confirmed that the contract had an automatic renewal clause that the council was unaware of at the time of approval.
• Asphalt Odor (Bitumar): The town manager reported that RIDEM issued a notice of violation on August 12, 2026, fining Bitumar $8,500 for violating air pollution regulations. RIDEM received over 100 complaints, with 36 in a recent period. The town has a meeting scheduled with Bitumar's legal counsel the next day. Councilor McCoy requested that RIDEM provide qualitative and quantitative data on their testing methods, but the town manager noted that the investigation is ongoing.
• Pet Store Ordinance (Chapter 3 – Animals): The town solicitor explained that the town's zoning ordinance already prohibits overnight boarding in the zone where Fishbowl Aquarium is located, and a notice of violation has been issued. He also noted that DEM conducted two unannounced inspections (July 16 and August 3, 2026) and found no violations of pet store regulations. The proposed ordinance to ban the sale of dogs and cats was discussed; the council agreed to publish it for a first reading at the September meeting, with a second reading and public hearing likely later in September. The solicitor will also research the East Providence federal case mentioned by a speaker.
• Public Safety Complex GMP: The town manager presented a revised guaranteed maximum price of $53,615,975 for the construction of the Public Safety Complex and Fire Station 1, down from the preliminary $55.9 million. The total project cost is now $64.9 million, with funding sources including bond proceeds, grant funds, and potential use of fund balance (up to $3.2 million). The council voted unanimously to approve the AIA Exhibit A and authorize the town manager to proceed.
• Town Manager's Report: Included updates on school bond projects, the blizzard of 2026 reimbursement denial, Revolution Wind meetings, QDC workforce housing, and an upcoming educational workshop on composting. The manager also noted that the town's public meeting procedures were well-regarded by the ACLU.
• QDC Representatives Report: Two representatives reported on the July 21 QDC board meeting, which included approval of a workforce housing project (140 units, 40% workforce housing) and adoption of an ethics policy. They also noted that rail carloads for Bitumar jumped from 14 in May to 64 in June, correlating with increased odor complaints.

Key Outcomes

• Flock Cameras: Motion passed 3-2 to immediately disable and remove all ALPRs owned by the town and state police within 30 days, and to prohibit new contracts without council approval. The town manager will ensure the cameras are turned off the next day.
• Public Safety Complex GMP: Approved unanimously. The town manager is authorized to sign the AIA Exhibit A with Dimeo Construction, allowing construction to proceed on schedule.
• Pet Store Ordinance: The council will move forward with publishing the proposed ordinance for first reading and potential adoption at the September meetings. The solicitors will research legal precedents.
• Bitumar Asphalt Odor: The town will continue to press RIDEM for testing data and will pursue legal and administrative remedies, including a possible citizen suit under the Clean Air Act. The next meeting with Bitumar's legal counsel is scheduled for August 18.
• Consent Agenda: Approved with the exception of items 13 and 14, which were individually approved.
• Correspondence: The council received 45 emails about Flock cameras (44 opposed, 1 in favor), 7 emails supporting the pet store ordinance, and 24 complaints about asphalt odor.