Town Council - Regular Meeting

I motion wat by the FOP agreement and authorize the town administrator to sign the agreement and memorandum of understanding. All in favor? I. Motion receive the financial impact statement for the IAFF agreement. All in favor? I. Motion to seal the executive session minutes pursuant to section 42467 of Rhyan general law. All in favor? I. Okay. So, we just had to clean up some executive session stuff. Uh, we'll move on to number two, which is citation of the council in reference to recognize the Department of Public Works for their outstanding efforts during the blizzard of 2026. Motion begin said presentation. Second.

All in favor? I

Yep. Okay. Sorry. They they got picks pretty good, so I'll keep it away for this. Okay. Okay. Thank you. So, um, we've been trying to get the Department of Public Works, uh, in for to recognize them for their outstanding job that they did during not just all the winter storms, but in particular the the blizzard of 26. So, a lot of us, a lot of us older folks, which includes Tom, um, usually reference back to the blizzard of 78, and we were kids. I think I was 14 at that time. And you know, you look back and you never saw anything like it until this storm, which happened, I think it was February 22nd, 23rd. And um the amount of snow that we got, I think it was roughly around 30 in um or give or take 34. Were you the official weather guy? You are tonight. Excellent. Okay. So, um, the only reason I asked that cuz I Googled it earlier and it said 28, so I'm not sure. But anyway, um,

wanted to get the public works team in um to, um, give them a citation and recognize them for their outstanding work and their dedication um, you know, during that storm. They're the ones out there on the front line while the rest of us are sitting home, you know, wondering when the roads are going to be open. Um, and we got some of those calls, believe me. Um, but at the same time, what you don't recognize is the time away, the safety issues that they deal with in a in a in a storm like that, the worrying from their families in a storm like that. Um and just the overall commitment, dedication that you guys um um you know showed the entire town uh from the leadership from the senior leadership all the way down to the newest guys. I mean it was just an incredible amount of work that you did. Um you know all some of us can claim to plow snow, but that's uh that was a serious that's probably once in a lifetime storm. twice if you're lucky. And uh hopefully we're not lucky. But um we just wanted to get you up here and recognize that because um it's important that that when when people do great things that they're recognized for it because a lot of times that goes and it keeps morale up and it and and and it's and it's justifiably deserve that um on what you guys accomplish. So, I'm going to read a citation and Bob, I don't know if you or Scott want to say a few words, but we thank you for your leadership all the way down to Joe again, all the way down to the newest guy that um um um on your on what you accomplished. So, Town of Middletown cit citation be it here known to all that the town of Middletown town council hereby recognizes the Middletown public works for their dedication, time and efforts during the blizzard of 2026 which affected all of Middletown and the state of Rhode Island. Town councils extend their

deepest gratitude and appreciation on this 18 18th day of May 2026. Great job. Congratulations. Paul, thank you very much. Um, just want to say we have a very young department and these guys did they pulled through and uh did an excellent job. We had the equipment to do it. Um, yeah. Uh, let it be known we were the first community on the island to have our roads open on Wednesday. That's pretty good accomplishment. I'm proud of and I'm proud of these guys.

Okay, guys. Listen, again, thank you so much and thank you for coming tonight. Um, definitely needed to be recognized. I'm sorry it took a little longer than than that. um isn't fresh, but it doesn't the memory about it doesn't go away on on what you did. So, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Oh, we have to we have to wait. Wendy, we have to wait till 6:30,

right? Okay. Motion recess. All in favor? I. Okay.

You guys ready? Great. So, we all set. Thank you. We have a motion to second to reconvene. All in favor? I. Okay. Let's move on to the regular meeting. 6:30 public forum. Just let me read it in please. Number three. Presumed rule 25 rules of council. Citizen may may address the town of one subject only. Sub said subject of substant substantive town business need to discuss during the regular meeting nor related to personnel job performance. Citizens may speak no longer than five minutes must submit a public participation form to council clerk prior to the start of the meeting. The items discussed during the session will not be voted. We do have some people that would like to talk. First,

good evening. Christopher Row, 177 Chases Lane. On May 7th, the town council met with the planning board to do a check-in between both groups and go over what priorities what the priorities of each is. There were eight public members there, six of whom made statements regarding the draft comprehensive plan. I'd like to say thank you to the town council and the planning board for listening to those statements and making proper decision to postpone the planned meeting for its presentation to the planning board until the draft plan could be put into a format that people can actually read and understand the additions, deletions, and reformatting of the draft. I'd also like to comment and remind members of both groups of certain statements made by several members that hopefully will make people stop and think about what was said and that in many ways is contrary to and in opposition to the direction both entities are pushing this town towards. Statements opposite to certain special interest political leanings and obsessive desires that are being catered to on a regular basis. During item number two on housing, Paul Rodericks, while talking about selecting a developer for the north end of the Miltown Center complex, you said, quote, based on what the need is for the community, end quote. The community, not the needs or desires of any certain developer. You should also be applying and this is means the council uh should also be applying that thought process to the Navy lodge lot and those two developers community needs and desires over developers wants and desires should be paramount. Charlie Roberts made a statement quote we are at the point where we have to be careful about what we build. End quote. This is especially poignant when it comes to building on land that cannot be replaced or repurposed for community needs and desires once it's destroyed. Please keep in mind what the residents of this town want for a Middletown

Commons community type center of town and recognize how a hotel does not fit that vision. Steven Hutler made a comment about limiting the number of STRs and even about possible expirations of grandfathering of STRs. A new business owner of a residential property should not have more rights than long-standing resident owners have over their own properties. This just recently occurred and is something that needs excuse me is something that needs to be addressed. This is something I will be bringing up at a later time. Tom Welch, you said, quote, "Housing costs are capitalistic in nature, a private enterprise, and not a town council issue." End quote. But when the planning board and the town council make decisions supporting capitalistic private enterprise over supporting the residents who voted you on to the town council and the council places people on the planning board who support the same. It has been made housing a town council issue. Affordable housing is a town council issue by default of many of its very actions. Dennis Toronto who's not here tonight. You mentioned that quote zoning overrides comprehensive plan end quote except plans are in progress to change the comprehensive plan for the express purpose of making it easier to change existing zoning in some areas. We have seen over the past year a continuous parade of zoning ordinance changes and now major changes to the comp plan which leans towards special interests and desires that are in opposition to the current comprehensive plan and the residents of our town. On item three about the Middletown Center, Paul Rodericks, you mentioned quote there has to be revenue end quote to support north area north end area housing. I totally understand that, but

let's not have blinders on where that revenue could come from. There are other possible sources and locations that are being ignored and not being explored due to excessive desires for a hotel to be on that site and an unwillingness to be open to other possibilities. New planning member Matthew Skresenski made some good points about developing useless, unused property lots before developing on green spaces. He and I even discussed the old Ruby Tuesday lot and how that fits the category. That was after the meeting. The Navy Lodge site should not be considered useless or unused because it's been intentionally left that way, especially given the amount of effort put in over years to try to get that transformed into a town community center area. Again, a hotel does not make for a welcoming, useful community center and destroys valuable green space. Paul Rodericks, you also made a later comment about redevelopment of existing sites versus green sites because it helps with water retention and is beneficial. There are a few other planning board member comments. I will mention directly to them since I'm out of town out of time here. Thank you for listening to my observations which I hope you will put some further consideration into. I request my statement be made part of the official record and minutes of this meeting. Thank you very much. Chris, you you're here as a resident, not a member of the zoning board.

That is correct. Okay. I just want to make sure we're clear on that. Y I'll be sure I mention that in the future. State that I will I'll make sure I mention that in the future. Yes, that's we'll do. just say that based on what the community that was in ref Okay, you can take that and twist it any way you want. That's what the statement was about. We were talking about developing north end of housing that north end with the library and JFK. Is that that's what that was? Okay. I was taken as you know the entire air the entire

no like when you make statements like that maybe you should ask the person that made the statement so it's clear before you go and put statements out they're not necessarily true okay thank you okay uh Joe Aguiard

good evening Joe Aiard 614 Mitches Lane. My reason to be here. Bear with me because I'm not good with names. I don't come here too often, but I do not miss a meeting and it's been bother me, bother me, bother me. And again today, I just heard the same. I got a zipper. I would like to say the time you spend all of you the time you spend here the hours you spend and you get criticized amongst every single me one thing I learned from my parents respect is number one I'm sure you guys not Perfect. But you try your best. I hope all the people with the mouth knocking you guys down over and over and over. I hope they sign their man and run for the committee if they think they can do better. I'm not going to mention any names here. I'm not sure how much you guys get paid, but if you split all those hours you guys spend for work and from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate what you guys do. I really do. even if we don't agree all the time but you try your best to do and bothers the when I hear people come up here the wreck

comes the individual people and knock you guys down and my book that's a no no I might not went to school here but common sense can't go very far. I don't like it. And I know this might not make a difference, but bothers me when I hear them same people over and over and over knocking you guys down. Let them let them come up and do better. very often unfortunately I gota I not promise myself I was not going to mention any names I'm going to look to Mr. wrong. Every time there's a question direct to him, he do not know his answer. I mean, if he don't know the answer, he will come back next time and give us the answer. I'm not sure that fell's name want to sit in sitting down. I watched that in the TV. He explains every little detail. I never went to school here. Even myself, I understand. So, I'm going to just stop before I just go out of the out of the line. I just so sad. You guys do the best and you keep getting knocked down. I appreciate all of you. And oh, I still got some time. We look around. We have a beautiful school. Very few times I hear somebody say, "Nice job."

There's a lot of good things going on in this town. And the only thing I hear is the same crab over and over and over. When you do your best and you get knocked down every single time, that's no good. Let them run. See if they can do any better. Thank you for your time. Hey, Greg Dantis.

Hi. Um, I live at 37 Elmwood A. Um, I've lived in this town my whole life. I have chicken tomorrow morning. Greg, I'm sorry. You have what? Uh, you guys have gear. Yeah. Violations. Okay.

I live in an R zone. I have four chickens for years. Hasn't been any sort of issue. And find out what I can do. zoning to make chain ordinances because the way it's uh written now if you're in R10 R20 can't have chicken R you live in Portsmith there's no problem with any of the zoning you live in Newport there's no problem here in middle zoning from the chickens um few years back. Can you know what the

what is the what do you know what the current for Sounds a little I don't know but I can count administrator what's allowable right now and then yeah I mean Maybe there's a special use permit that I could get for something as little as that.

I don't know, but you get your information to the clerk. Be uh be happy to. Okay. Thank you. Tom has a question. Do you have a rooster? No, no roosters, just hens. My oldest one was nine years old. So, just curious what Well, you know, uh my surrounding abutters I abut the hotel, I Rocky Capanar Hotel. Um I'm on M would have I've got a double lot. I'm 190 feet by 90 feet. So it's pretty big lot. Um none of my neighbors immediate neighbors have a problem but I think it was an issue in the neighborhood about something and so they just kind of piled everything on.

You're going to you're going to get with um one that was going on. He's going to get his information to Wendy and I can at least I didn't know what's allowable or Okay. Okay. Sounds like you know the ordinance, but we just want

Well, I do. I mean, the building officials gave me the ordinance and said what it was, and you know, there's a problem last year where they came and they said, well, there's an issue of where the coupe can be. And so, I thought, okay, well, I put it within my setbacks and I'm fine. But now this year, they're saying you just can't have chickens. We found this new rule that says chickens are livestock, so they just group it all together. Um, but there's no issues like that in Newport or Portsmith. It just doesn't make sense. But I have court tomorrow for the ordinance, you know, by Okay, we'll have to we'll have you to take a look and get back. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thanks.

Thanks, Greg. Good luck. Okay, let's move on to motion act as a board of licensed commission. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Uh so we have a motion to second act as a board of license commission. All in favor? I. Acting as a board of license commission number four, application of Tito's Cantina Incorporated DBA Titos Cantina 651 West Main Road for a transfer of class B liquor license to Plaza Alter Group LLC DBA Titos Cantina for the 2025 2026 licensing year. The use at the same premises. This is new, so it does require advertising for a public hearing.

Motion to receive the application advertised for a future public hearing. Have a motion to second. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Motion to reconvene as a town council. Have a motion, a second to reconvene as a town council. All in favor? I. Okay. Consent calendar. Any councils want to remove any items off the consent calendar? I'll take that as a no. Consent calendar in its entirety. A motion, a second to approve the consent calendar in its entirety. All in favor?

I. Okay. A license of permits 10. Um application of Olga Flameco shop for a tattoo license abused at Trouble Soul in uh and company 999 West Main Road for the 2026 2027 licensing year. This is new. Motion to grant said license. We have a motion to second to grant said license. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Number 11, application of WS Middletown LLC DBA wing stop 7 East Main Road for eviction of the house license for the 2025 2026 licensing year. This is new.

Motion to grant said license subject to building official fire marshall and department of health approval. We have a motion to second a grant. Wy, everything's in order here besides these approvals. Yes, they are. And actually they do have uh most of those approvals on there. They do. Excellent. Okay. So we have a motion to second a grant. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Number 12. Application for special event permit for Middletown 250th commission for Middletown Celebrates America 250 games, music, food trucks, and fireworks. Be held on Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 from 400 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Paradise Valley Park. And from 6:30 p.m. to to 10:00 p.m. at Second Beach. The applicant requests that all fees be waved.

Motion to grant said special event permit and wave all fees. Have a motion to second to grant. And this is the this is the night they will have fireworks at at the beach. And again, I want to thank uh Bank Newport for contributing $8,000 towards uh the fireworks. So, we appreciate that. I want to say thank you publicly. Um all in favor? I. Anybody oppose? No. 13. Application for special event permit from St. Georgia School Camp Ramla Yacht Sale open to the public to be held at St. George's School Hockey Rink on Saturday, June 6, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Motion to grant said special event permit.

Have a motion to second a grant. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Number 14, application of special event permit from Aquinic Pediatrics. Quinn Pediatrics for Summer Carnival at 1272 West Main Road to be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. And again, the applicant requests permit fees to be waved. Motion to grant said special event permit and wave permit fees.

We have a motion to second a grant. Is there any discussion on this hear? None. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Let's move on to other communications. Number 15, communication of the class of 2027 and the class of 2028. Reference to request for support for the second annual 9hole 9hole golf Tony at Jamestown golf course on Saturday, May 30th, 2026. Motion to receive set communication and authorize $250 to be allocated from the council present discretionary fund. A motion is second. Is there any discussion on this one?

Hearing none. All in favor? I anybody opposed? Thank you. Good luck to the class of 27 and 28. Uh number 16 petition of an RFI or Ficky, I'm not sure, but uh did my best with that. An Middletown residents in reference to traffic calming measures third beach road. The council action would be to forward to the Middletown Police Department and Department of Public Works for re for review and recommendation. Motion to receive said petition and forward to the Middletown Police and Department of Public Works to review and recommend.

Um so we have a motion to second. This is where um these things start when residents get together and have an issue with the speeding and stuff like that and you know so now the town will take a holistic view based upon recommendations from the police department and public works and to see what uh whether a consultant's required. Sean, didn't we do didn't we have a didn't we do a Third Beach Road before? This Tuesday?

We did a traffic calming study on Third Beach Road. So, uh, but I think the where we've been temporarily putting in the speed pumps and speed pillows has been very successful. So, that's that's what the residents are looking for. We'll forward it to public works and the police department. They'll come back with a recommendation and and uh we'll based on that recommendation, we'll make a decision and go from there based on the fact.

So we have a motion and a sec. Did you make a motion already? We have a motion. You second it. Second to forward to public works please for review and recommendation. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Ordinances number 17. An ordinance of the town of Middletown. This is the second reading. An ordinance amendment to the ordinance of the town of Middletown. Town Code Title 3, Chapter 34, Taxes. Section 34.70 entitled Tax Classification System is amended by deleting subsection 34.70 A1, excuse me, one F. Motion to adopt said ordinance on its second reading. Peter, yes, sir.

Could you just brief on what the what the change is here?

Uh, this is a provision removing a a section from the tax classification ordinance related to short-term rentals. Uh there was a provision that said if you had a property that was registered as a short-term rental notwithstanding the other requirements for the owner occupied uh tax rate uh that that property would not would not be eligible for that. This has been changed specifically to address the situation where you might have someone who has a property that is their primary residence but is doing short-term rentals for some relatively limited period of time during the year. The idea being that since it's the owner's primary residence, that property is not going to be available for long-term rental anyway. So, um, the council directed us to remove that provision. All the other requirements for eligibility for the owner occupied rate remain in effect but this one has been removed. So people that were affected by this particular clause that should correct things. Okay. Anybody have any questions about that? So just wanted to make sure anybody watching understood it and if you don't you can call us listen. So just get here. Okay. So we have a motion, a second to adopt the ordinance on its second reading. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Town administrative business. Uh number 18, memorandum of finance director through town administrator in reference to library renovation project donations.

Motion to receive said memorandum.

All in favor? I. And uh can we just move into the resolution? Number 19, resolution of the council in reference to town council hereby accepts the donation of $17,500 from the friends of Middletown public library consisting of funds received through private donations support of the library renovation project and be be designated and applied in accordance with donor intent. 75,200 for the children's learning and play area. 25,000 for the community gathering and program spaces, 7,300 for the general for general uh project purposes, and the finance directors authorize hereby to allocate and expend expend said funds in accordance with all town purchasing policies and procedures.

Motion to pass said resolution. Excellent. That was our excellent finance director, Mark Tangway, that was sitting over there, Joe, just so you know. ahead.

Good evening, Mr. President, members of the council. Um, now that we are renovating the library building, we have been actively searching for donations to help with the improvements and renovations. Part of the process for this is a lot of the donations are being donated to the friends of the library and then in turn they bring those donations to the library building committee and they would they make a motion which is here in front of you tonight. Uh you request they um requesting that the council app approves the donations that are identified and I'll get to those in a minute. you accepted donations as part of the project. The donations that are in in front of you are $107,500. Some of these donations the donors put a restriction on them so they have to go to that project and others there are no restrictions. So then they can go to the uh any general purpose items. 75,200 donated for the children's learning and play area. 25,000 is designated for community gathering in program spaces and 7,300 is designated for general purpose. So in front of you is a resolution you to accept the donations from the friends of the library and include them in the project.

Okay Mark, thank you. So, um, the library has been trying to get donations. Um, as you can see here, been successful and so far $107,500. Um, when a project like this, uh, you know, happens, we, you know, once you start getting, you get rough estimates or you get estimates on what you think it's going to cost um, to have a state-of-the-art library. um when when um prices start coming in um sometimes there's some things you can do and some things there's some things you have to cut out and you can't do um so that happens you know people will take charge and like the library has and done and the group there is uh doing a good job monitoring what's going on um we're off on the timeline a little bit but that's no fault of the town of Middletown Uh having said that, now we're able to take this money and and uh reinstate some of the things that maybe we weren't able to do. Um and so that's what this is about. We also have um I met uh last year, Sean, with a couple of um folks that were that we approached to see if they would be give philanthropic donations. Um, and they've agreed they've agreed to donate. I have two folks so far that are going to donate 250,000 a piece. It would be 500,000. Um, and also um, we're going to continue to meet with folks to and and this this effort is twofold. Be able to do things we weren't able to do maybe from a budget standpoint and also to help reduce potential debt. And there's also Van Beern things going on that uh um Don

that you could speak to. Um there's a lot there as well. So there's a lot of people stepping up and forward to to make this thing happen and make it happen and be a state-of-the-art facility for the town of Middleton. Absolutely. And donations can be given to the friends as well as the town. Correct. And and Mark, is there a 501c3? the li the friends of the library is a 501c3 all that money would have to funnel through them. Yes. Okay. I just want to make sure we're clear on Well, no. You can donate directly to the town and still get your tax increase. Get your tax

your tax deduction. You can either you can either if you give it to the library, you can get your tax deduction or if you give it to the town, you can get your tax deduction. It doesn't necessarily have to go through the Okay. I think that was your question. I think you corrected me and did a good job. Thank you. Yes. Whatever way that doesn't matter. Whatever way works uh will help the town and and the libraries. Don, you wanted just if you take a moment just to explain Van Beern and what's going

Don Morren, 549 Turner Road, uh chair of the library building committee. Um so in addition to private donations, which now you can give through the library website, you can give a direct check as the town administrator pointed out right to the town. It's tax deduct deductible. excuse me, or you can give it a check to the friends and they'll route it to the project. In addition to that, we're seeking grants. Um, so we've written grant applications to the tune of about $2.7 million thus far. Last week, we received $500,000 from Champlain Foundation. Um, so we're going through the review now with the town solicitor to accept that. You saw the paper today. We got $50,000 from Bank Newport. Um, so we'll go through that same process to make sure we're following the guidelines if they have any restrictions on it. And tomorrow we are meeting with the Van Beern charitable foundation uh for another potential grant. Um, we also have couple dozen other grants in process now and and as you stated, you know, the we have project funds from the town to renovate the building, but we want to do more with new programs, some things that we can't offer today. Um, and there also some things that are on our alternate list that are at alternates that we can't necessarily afford with our current budget. We're hoping to pull those back into the project. So, um, we're getting great response, um, getting a lot of donations and hopefully more of these grants come through in the next, uh, couple of weeks. This is the time where we get a lot of the announcements on the grants. Um, Van Beern will actually know on Thursday.

Excellent. Thank you for the update. Timing of it was good. So, okay. So, we have a resolution. Uh, is there any a motion to second to pass? Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Number 20, memorandum of town administrator in reference to change order approval for library renovation project. Motion to receive said memorandum.

Have a motion to second to receive. All in favor? I uh we'll just go into the uh resolution as well. Okay. Number 21, resolution of the council in reference to authorizing the town administrator to approve change orders on behalf of the town related to the library renovation project above the current protocol of 25,000 to between $25,01 to $100,000 for the duration of the project. administrator shall notify the town council within 48 hours to ensure transparency and oversight when change orders of $25,01 and 100 and $100,000 are authorized. Motion to pass said resolution. Can you stop?

Okay. Sorry. Didn't want to go too fast. Uh this resolution is very similar to the school department. Uh, yes,

I have the authority under the town's current purchasing rules to approve a change order up to $25,000. However, with these capital projects, which sometimes have large change orders or could have a large change order, uh they need to be approved quickly uh because otherwise it it stops the job and we're subject to home office damages. So, this this is the same authority that I've been granted on the uh school project. So, we're seeking the same on the library side. I I need to ask someone to amend the resolution. If you were to read my memo, so currently with the school department, if there's a change order between 25,000, a dollar, and $100,000, there are two signatures required, it's myself and the school superintendent. And what's in the memo says that it would be myself and the chair of the library board of trustees. Uh, however, it didn't make it onto the resolution. So I would ask that the council amend the resolution so that it reads the town administrator and the chairperson of the library board trustees are jointly authorized to approve change orders just that one sentence. And again we do that you know we want to be timely in approving these things so we don't incur unnecessary cost. uh and the internal control that the council gets uh in this project is that uh you have two signatures, you know, verifying the work is required and that the dollar amount is appropriate for the change. So, that's really it.

So, so I just have to ask where did those dollar amounts come? The project budget talking about 25 and 100,000. What's where did that ceiling come from? Uh we reviewed it with the project manager. It's what we did with this the school department and uh we figured at 100,000 you know I think it's partly what we would need on the job site before I would call the town council for an emergency meeting to approve a dollar still relatively low. I think we've done one of these on the uh the school project and we followed the process and we came back to you put it on the docket. So it's and just for clarity purpose it still has to be approved. It always has to be approved. Correct. Yep.

Okay. You have that amendment? Yeah. Anybody have any questions?

What do we have to do to make it right? I I knew that was coming. Okay. What's that?

He's got it all written down, right? I'm just

Okay. So, the the the just for clarity, the amended motion is um that the change orders between $25,01 $1 and $100,000 would be jointly approved approved jointly by the town administrator, the chair of the library board of uh trust. So we have a second on that. Okay. Is there any further discussion hearing? None. All in favor? I. Anybody oppose? Thank you. Let's see. Number 22 is the memorandum of the finance director in reference to through the town administrator in reference to the beach erosion study phase two. Motion to receive said memorandum.

All in favor? I. And let's move into the resolution. We will have discussion 23 resolution of the council reference to award of contract to Crossman Engineering of Warwick, Rhode Island phase two of the beach erosion study to be funded uh by the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank Community Projects project assistance grant the amount of $50,000 and the remaining balance of the $9,000 cents be funded from the parks and recreation beach capital replenishment fund and authorizing the finance is directed to execute the agreement on behalf of the town. Motion to pass said resolution.

Have a motion to second to pass. We're going to have discussion. So it's total 59,000. 50,000's in a grant. 9,000 would be funded from the pox and rex capital replenishment fund. Going

uh I think we had a presentation at uh last year about a study that was completed. I guess our our first study of beach erosion at second and third beaches. And I think at the end one of the conclusions from that study after the modeling was done is that we have a sand deficit essentially on the beaches more sand goes off the beach uh than comes onto the beach. Uh certain recommendations came out of that. Those are being implemented this year. Uh but we want to continue that work uh because we we need to preserve the beaches. It's one of our most important assets from a quality of life and from an economic uh standpoint. U another reason that we want to continue with the survey work that's in this proposal is that um if we did had a cat catastrophic storm that badly damaged the beach, if we've done this work and we lack of you know have surveyed the beach, done an inventory of what's there, we're eligible or could be more eligible for federal dollars uh for disaster relief. So that that's another issue that we're working on. um the work that would be done out there this year. Again, it's it's more detailed survey work, uh seedment transport work. Um there's a lot of discussion on when we prepare the beach, if you put the sand in the wrong place, it disappears quickly. Whereas um if you strategically located areas um it will it will be on the the beach and uh improve it for for a longer period of time. We are looking at beach nourishment is something that we need to start looking at. Um we're looking at oyster beds on the east side to help dissipate energy down in that area where basically most of the energy is coming in from the Atlantic Ocean. Um it's a lot of work. It's a lot of work understanding but the model that you saw

last year I think gave us a good idea of how mother nature is basically working against the beach itself and um identifying ways that we can try to preserve it for as long as we can. So I would have to ask the question is that you know before you approve a phase two you consider phase one being successful. Oh absolutely. Yeah. Um they they had really good results. I think it like a little closer.

I think it made a lot of sense. It's echoing out here. Uh no, I I think it it validated a lot of assumptions. There were other recommendations that came from the beach commission that from the work that they did uh we're were not doing because they were considered uh they were they weren't going to add anything to the to the preservation of the sand the sand dunes since um basically that was one of the outcomes is that we need to armor the sand dunes throughout the year. uh there was a the beach commission was looking at trying to angle them and that was that was seen that work that would have no benefit for the beach itself. So um I think we're on the right path. Uh again we're changing our beach maintenance practices on the on the property for this beach season. Um we were lucky last year we didn't have any storms. Beaches are in better shape. Uh but we want to we want to build a lot of it's education too for the the beach committee the staff I think as well as residents. Okay. So, the reason I asked the question is because um I sit on the beach committee and Peter um I know the year before was, you know, we had those those those difficult storms throughout that previous winter and there was a lot of rocks ended up on the beach and a rock problem down there. And so, um this year we don't have a rock problem. I don't know if I'm sure we're gaining a lot of information as to what's happening with how the Atlantic Ocean and like you said where that energyy's coming from in that particular area causing some of those issues. Um but I often think to myself, is it just is it just mother nature is going to have her way no matter what? Um you know we taking this information and we're using it. Um I just those thoughts have

to go through the mind.

Well, it's mother nature and it's it's decisions we make. I mean, one of the one of the bigger ones is the simple fact that the Mayfford River used to come down Paradise Avenue and dump out at Surfer's End. Um, was a swamp, but that swamp was critical to the beach because it dumped mud and organic materials on a second beach. So, while we sit here today and say, "Oh, we like that white sandy beach." It should be muddier similar to Third Beach, but because we've cut off the water and sediment, put, you know, the city of Newport and, you know, the the Newport water department takes that water back from whenever Eastston was here, so close to the 1900s. Those decisions to change how again the beach nourishment takes place has a negative impact on us right now. Um so um I think those are the type of things that we you know need to compensate for. You know we're not going to we're not going to get rid of our drinking water. That creates another problem is we don't have we need mud. You know mud is good. Mud isn't necessarily bad. So that's an example. Uh I think one of the things that we you know in the past we've trucked material off the beach whether it's rocks or not not so much sand. We've moved sand around, but you know, the the new the new strategy is you leave everything on the beach, including a lot of the organic materials. Um, again, if we you know, each all of those all of those anything you take off the beach hurts the beach. That's the problem.

Yeah. And I think at the in the same token, you kind of if we don't take any type of action and then, you know, there's more erosion and we had that opportunity to do that to pay for it with a grant. um I almost think we're negligent by not gaining some type of information that could potentially give us an advantage to uh to help um you know save as much sand as possible and stop some of that erosion. So, yep. But the beach has dramatically it's it's smaller. It's a lot smaller and more susceptible to these large storms.

Yep. Okay. Uh any other questions or comments from the other councils? Okay. So we have a motion to second to pass that resolution. Uh all in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Number 24, memorandum of finance director through town administrator in reference to fiscal year 2026 school budget adjustments as of April 10th, 2026. Motion to receive said memorandum.

All in favor? I. I will move right in in the resolution uh number 25 resolution of the council in reference to approval of uh FY 2026 full budget adjustments as of April 10th 2026. Motion to pass that resolution. Have a motion to second to pass. Mr. Tangway.

Thank you, Mr. President, members of the council. Uh at the beginning of the budget season, the town administration and the finance office met with school administration and their finance office to go over the budget that they had. And we looked at any anticipated expenditures and the incumbrances that existed, come up with what we thought the ending budget would be. And a lot of these entries or budget adjustments before you are positives or adding to different expenses at the same time reducing other expenses. So there's a lot of readjusting the budget to what we anticipate it should be at the end of this year. And they in in these budget adjustments there are also some actual revenues that are increased for a total increase of 232,000 $215. The revenues that were added were for some 14,000 for preschool tuition, 80,000 for CTE tuition, 37,000 for earnings and investments, and 100,000 for the sale of EB the ECAP building, East Bay Community Action Program. So, the majority of these entries are to readjust the expenses and the school department is here if you have any questions.

Okay. I don't have any questions, but um I would just make like to make a couple comments. I think uh 80,000 of of CT, I think there's going to be more of that to come, especially with the uh the programs coming to the new school. Um I think we're going to attract hopefully we'll attract um students from all over that will have to pay tuition to come to Middletown to learn how to weld and and the type of trades that electric boat is looking for. So I think that's a great job Billy union team have done with that. Thank you for that. Uh I also think that I want to say that Mark I want to thank you and your team for continued working with the school department's finance team. Um, you know, it's directionally correct. Um, we've had surpluses the last three years or so. Um, since that deficit and I guess my last my question is uh we're on track or surplus this year as well in the school.

We're on track. I don't know how much. Not not a whole bunch, but we're on track. We've been monitoring. Well, it's always better to um to uh to underestimate than underdel. So, I appreciate you doing that. It's great to work with the school department. It is. And it's it's good to see that partnership where the school gave the town a little bit of um leeway to be able to to clean up a bunch of things and and get things squared away and head in the right direction, which you certainly have. So, that partnership's working well. Um and just wanted to publicly thank you guys for that. Nice job.

Any councils have any questions or comments? Okay, we have a motion to second to pass that resolutions. Any further discussion? All in favor? I. Thank you. Motion. We have a motion, a second to adjurnn. All in favor? I. Thank you everyone.