Town Council - Regular Meeting

My apologies. Welcome to the July 27th, 2026 Portsmouth Town Council meeting. In the event of an emergency, if you would please orderly evacuate the building through the door you came in, the one that's over your left shoulder or the door that is behind Mr. Reese, we'll all move over to the school department building and wait for further instructions from our first responders. If you could now all join me for a pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence for our men and women in harm's way. but to lead us to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, everyone.

Ready? All right.

Madam Clerk, roll call, please.

Ms. Blank? Here. Mr. Gleason?

Here.

Ms. McDowell?

Here.

Ms. Patton? Here. Mr. Reese?

Here.

Mr. Hamilton?

I am here. Mr. Pereira will not be able to join us tonight because she has a work commitment he could not get out of. So first up, do we have any public comment, Madam Clerk? uh first up is miss irene schirnoff would you want to talk about the expansion of the sunset cove liquor license so if you want to do that you can wait till the actual agenda item if you want to talk about it then okay either way if you talk about it now we can't answer any questions for you if you talk about it then we can answer questions for you so for heather uh hartman as well you can wait okay um deb faber you would like to talk about mosquitoes

Deborah Faber, 74 Highland Ave. I'm here to address the serious problems with mosquitoes that needs immediate attention in the Common Fence Point, Island Park, landfill, and salt marsh areas. When we purchased our property in Common Fence Point in the 70s, it was the first time we encountered the overhead spraying of mosquitoes during the summer season. in the years that follow. It was planned, announced, and effective, but ended as we were told it was harmful for wildlife. When we purchased the land near the landfill in Island Park in 1999, the mosquito population was unbearable. Anyone who stepped outside literally found that they were covered with clouds of mosquitoes that were vicious. When DEM was notified, they responded by sending someone on our property and thought I was exaggerating until they shared the same experience. Traps were set around the landfill in the salt marsh areas. When the traps were collected shortly thereafter, all the traps were full and they were stunned, stating it was the worst that they have ever seen. They also found sections of the salt marsh that were blocked and dredged to open the channels and restore the water flow, placed tablets and monitored the area. The town implemented a maintenance plan. I don't recall if it was in connection with DEM, but it was very effective for a number of years. However, over time, the town failed to maintain that plan as the residents are now once again stressing over the issue. There are numerous complaints over the severity of this issue. Pest controls are receiving their highest levels of calls for spraying. As DEM states, it's a dry season. From my observation, part of the problem in Island Park is the landfill. My points are, one, DEM approved covering the existing wetland on the landfill. From my view, as our house overlooks the landfill, there appears to be an underground flow that emerges on the surface at high tide or high water tables The water sits and remains on the surface for a number of weeks to the vegetation on the landfill presently stands at four to five feet tall, shading the existing standing waters is perfect for breeding environment for mosquitoes three. The landfill is now at a higher elevation, which means the runoff becomes standing water at the base if it is not absorbed into the soil remains wet long longer around the property line in packing. impacting adjacent properties in the areas of Russell and Highland Ave. Four, the owner of the landfill has also built a drain that redirects runoff water from his property toward our property that creates a constant wet solution for the mosquitoes. According to the town's regulation, no one is allowed to redirect runoff water from their property onto your neighbors, but that didn't stop him. We have provided pictures to DEM of the drainage, including the standing waters that sit and settles across the site, only to be ignored. DEM has also acquired most of Carty's property as a wildlife refuge, including the salt marsh. It is DEM's responsibility to address this issue and all issues on their property. DEM also has oversight over the landfill and has fallen short in their responsibility and their response towards us. The community with the support of the Portsmouth Concerned Citizens have dealt with the landfill problems in DEM far too long. approximately 14 years without the assistance or intervention from the town. This needs to change. On behalf of the residents in the affected areas, we request these issues be placed on the agenda for further action. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Faber. Next we have Mr. Michael DiPiola. I'd like to speak about the First Amendment.

You're not redirecting the camera to the speaker. I am not going to redirect the camera. Maybe not in this instance.

Not in any instance. He has put himself in the frame, and I'm not going to put that foul T-shirt on the frame.

Deborah wasn't in it either.

Because where he is seated would show the shirt, and I'm not going to show the foul shirt on TV. It's against FCC policies.

I think it's against the First Amendment rights.

It is not a first amendment, Mr. DiPaola, but you can speak if you would like. Yes, I would.

Good evening. My name is Michael DiPaola, an overtaxed taxpayer, property owner, licensed real estate professional, and again, a contractor. Five years ago, I stood up to this town with the ACLU in bringing a federal civil rights case over selective enforcement, The town signed a consent decree in April, 2021, which permanently enjoined the town from engaging in such conduct. My action against the town in its wrongful conduct was fully vindicated. in so far as the town paid my attorney's fees resulting from its violative actions. In December, 2024, the town itself wildly potted ways with former building official Eames. No announcement, no explanation. He simply disappeared from the payroll. By my count, the fourth time a municipality has let him go, including Tividen, after my reports there. And the former town prosecutor resigned last year, acknowledging in his own words, quote, sins of the past on my farm. I did not use these words. He did. And understand exactly what happened there. No misunderstanding. I reported his corruption. I alone My reports led to that resignation. I flushed Chepetto. And yet the pattern of misconduct in the form of selective enforcement and other bias continues, aimed at me, just me. Two days after I served the town a formal notice of claim in March, the town planner, referred my commercial property to the state for enforcement, reviving a matter dormant for years. I have reported in writing 15 comparable conditions on the same corridor on three different occasions, notwithstanding there was never a single enforcement action ever brought or prosecuted. Instead, the town persist and continued to attack me and me alone in various ways, a survey, a cease and desist, and site visits. This February, the attorney general found the town violated the access to public records. This spring, the council rewrote the signed ordinance with a provision aimed at displays like mine, speech protected by that federal decree. And when I stand at this podium, Council President Hamilton interrupts me, cuts me off during the public comment portion at this council meeting. A right afforded to every resident, while the other six members of this council sit silent. That silence adds insult to injury. This council has even cut the video broadcast of my comments over my attire. Censoring a citizen out of the public record because of the message he wears, that too is a First Amendment violation. and it will not be tolerated. And the building official now citing my property has, per the town's own records, no permit on file for the work at his own home, and testified under oath that my reports were accurate and helped him do his job. This town has known about his own building violations, his selective enforcement, and his conflicts of interest for years. I reported them in writing and with the records attached. And instead of him firing, The town promoted him from assistant building inspector to building official. Their enforcer got a promotion. So tonight, I am announcing that I intend to take legal action once again against the town of Portsmouth and certain of its officials, some of their official capacities while others in their individual capacity. The suit will allege that the records show that this town has acted as a coordinated group led by town administrator Rainer from town planner Hitchin to tax assessor Heflin to building officials Eames and Kent, to additional three Portsmouth police officers showing up at my front door at 9.30 p.m. to former town prosecutor, cyberstalking attempt to harass me, intimidate me, and ruin my reputation through selective enforcement and in violation of my First Amendment rights. This is not about money. Any recovery beyond my cost will be donated to the Potter League for Animals. I am filing to protect my rights, my name, and my reputation, and to establish that importments The codes and the constitution apply equally to everyone, resident and official, critic and insider. This ends whenever the council wants. Enforce the codes equally, honor the decree, and treat every citizen, including your critics, the same. Until then, I will see you in court. Attorney Mulhern will be in touch. Thank you.

Next up, we have our consent agenda. have a motion to approve as presented so moved i was just are we doing those individual or the whole thing the whole thing okay the whole consent agenda thank you i don't second one through three with your subsets any other questions all those in favor i oppose motion passes six to zero next up we're sitting as the board of licensed commissioners First up, we have a request for temporary seasonal expansion of the service area for Locals LLC, excuse me, Locals Incorporated, doing business as Locals LLC, excuse me, doing business as Locals Kitchen Cocktails, 657 Park Avenue, to allow it in food and alcohol service in the outside dining area from now until the end of the season. Is there somebody here from Locals? No.

I have a question.

Mr. Reese.

I just have one quick question. Is that open now? I mean, it's night weather.

As far as I know, they are serving food now, but they are not serving alcohol. Well, they can serve alcohol that is poured at the bar inside and then brought outside. I believe this request is to build a small bar area outside.

Okay. Thanks.

Anybody online?

Without hearing anybody wanting to speak, I would make a motion to approve.

Second. Do you have anybody online? Well, no. End of season is an open term. I think we should have set some sort of a date, sir.

It does the April 1st. Or is that a different one? That's the next one.

It just says now until the end of the season, which now would obviously be tonight. So probably tomorrow. No, I think they would go past Columbus Day. So why don't we just say, I mean, if the weather's nice, we could say November 30th, I guess. They would use their own judgment. I don't think they'll be out there if it's too cold.

It's probably going to be consistent with the next one, if I have a fair intent.

Okay. So the motion would be to approve the request with an end date of November 30th, 2026.

Any further questions or comments? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes six to zero. Next up, we have same request, request for approval of temporary seasonal expansion of service area, Sunset Cove Incorporated doing business at Sunset Cove, 706 Park Avenue to allow for outdoor bar to the west of the patio now through September 30th.

November 30th, I'm sorry. Thank you, Ms. McDowell.

Anybody like to speak for our behalf? I guess we'll start with a four. Denny, if you want to come up, please, sir. Just state your name and address for the record, please. Thank you.

Denny DiMarino. We own Trembley's, Blue Anchor, and Sunset Cove. Bought a house at 317 Riverside Street once we bought Trembley's about 15 years ago. My business partner, Mike McFarland, was born in Island Park. And that's about all you want to know about me personally.

Danny, if you can speak right into the mic. They're very directional. I'm sorry.

When we bought these places, and I swear this is true, Mike McFarland, I didn't know anything about Portsmouth at the time, being from New Jersey. I since, like I said, have bought a home here. Mike said the purpose, he never mentioned we're gonna make money, which I wish he would have, but he said, we're gonna build up Island Park into something special. We're an honest group. We try to do things right. This thing about the bar honestly took us by surprise. We didn't realize with our liquor license, it doesn't apply to about 10 feet away to a tiki bar outside. So we're in the process now of, We have submitted an electrical permit. We've submitted a plumbing permit. We're in the process, Neil at Narragansett Engineering is inspecting us this week to submit a building permit. The next five weeks are very important to us. We employ about 75 people, 20, 25 college and high school kids. We're a great place to work. not i don't beg but if we don't have the next five weeks as you know summer ends we'll take november 30th but we'll take september 30th we need to have the bar open this weekend i guarantee that we'll have all the permits that need to be before the weekend this weekend and we're asking that the council thank you for seeing us tonight We ask that you approve this so we can operate the Tiki Bar starting this Thursday. We're open Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday outside. We have five more weeks of that. It's really a make or break for our business at Sunset Cove. So like I said, we've tried to do everything right. And I appreciate you guys seeing us tonight. I'll take any questions.

Any questions? Mr. Dell? Yep.

Hi. Hi. So was the bar open this weekend outside?

It was.

Even though you didn't get the program?

Yeah, we didn't really. Honestly, we really didn't. We were just approved by the Department of Health last week, and we thought that's what we needed to open. So that's why we did. Department of Health. They asked us to do a hot and cold water. We didn't have hot and cold water out there, so we had that done in the last couple weeks at a pretty big expense, but we were happy to do it. We thought once we got the permit from the Department of Health, it would be good to go, and we realize now that we're not.

But you put the agenda item in on Tuesday, correct?

We still thought that the Department of Health... was sufficed in what we needed to do.

Okay. Then my other, I just want to make a comment about Sunset Cove and, you know, everyone, I think, was excited, you know, when Thrive was there. It was a great place to be, great place to have people, meet people there, have meetings, etc. Then people were excited when Mike bought it from Kristen. And me. And you. I don't know you. That's okay.

That's okay.

I apologize for the omission.

It cost me a lot of money, so I just want to get my name in there somewhere.

So, you know, there was enthusiasm and there was a feeling of goodwill that this was happening. And I think it's turned somewhat positive. sour. We had some residents here at one of our meetings that talked about the volume of the music. And Mike was here. And one of the things I asked Mike before he left was, would he come to, he heard the concerns, would he come together and have a meeting with the community? And I thought that that would happen, but I don't think it's happened. Correct?

I don't believe so. No.

And why wouldn't that be?

I can't speak for Mike, but I don't know if that might tell you that the council asked to. He did. He did not. No.

Well, I'm disappointed that that didn't happen because I think there are people here tonight that are even angrier. And had that meeting taken place, it could have dissipated some of that anger. I'm not sure. We also received a letter from Kristen to the town council saying, And in that letter, she has shown some decibel readings.

I'm going to stop you because we're talking about the seasonal expansion. We're not talking about noise complaints or entertainment licenses.

Doesn't that have a...

I mean, in my world... No, an entertainment license and the ability to serve alcohol outside are two different things. If there are complaints about the noise or the activity outside, people should A, file a police report or contact the police and a police report would be filed.

Then I'll take those comments back.

Keith, if you're okay, I'll speak to those comments. I would love you to, but the only thing on here is the seasonal expansion of your license, not noise complaints or expansion of your entertainment license.

Can I just make one comment? Would you allow me to make one comment? Please. Sure. I give you my guarantee that we, we, we love Kristen. We let her live there for two years. She's awesome. We, our daughter works for us. I'll talk to the locals. I have no fear because we want to do everything for the community and for the local people. They mean a lot to us. We had over 900 people at our three restaurants last Friday night coming to Island Park. I'm sure most of them were not Island Parkers. They had fun. Their kids were there. I'll speak to anybody about our businesses because we're an honest group and we're not going to hide. So thanks, Keith, for letting me say that. That's okay. It was within the realm.

Any other questions for Demi? The only reason I say that is because if there were other people who wanted to talk specifically about that, it's not on the agenda. They're not here because it's not on the agenda. They might be left out of the conversation as well.

Right. But all I'm saying is that all the things that are surrounding this whole thing has an impact on me in terms of my vote. So I just wanted to clarify a couple of things. One, the community meeting that never took place that we were told would, which I think would have been in the best interest of everyone.

And I think you can still do that without... delving into noise violations.

Okay.

Yeah.

Mary, can we do that sometime? I'll be happy to sit down with whomever about any subject because I have nothing to hide.

I know, but you know, Denny, for me, this is going to influence, I believe, my vote. The fact that a community meeting did not take place and Mike said that it would, I don't even know whether people would be here tonight if that had taken place and there was some resolve to that. Yeah. so going for you know with this voter in front of us tonight i'm in a dilemma because we we were kind of promised that a community meeting would take place and it didn't so i i wrestle with this no i and i understand mary honestly but that will take place i'm asking tonight for five more weeks of grace we're working hard i think anybody in here from the

building department or the planning department knows that we're on it we're going to get it done it's our livelihood and it's the livelihood of the 75 people that work for us so i promise you and i want you to be successful i know and i appreciate it i know you want you to be i know you live in that neighborhood as well community to also we want everyone to love us okay thank you thank you charlie yeah i just have a question yes ma'am you mentioned that friday the permits will be all settled and yeah we have the building the electrical and plumbing have been submitted by sean peters and mark our electrician neil at narragansett is i spoke to him today he said denny i could fast track this We'll come out there tomorrow. We'll see what has to be done. Peter Raposo, who's a good friend of ours from a business standpoint and also from a help standpoint, he said, Denny, I'll be there in 10 minutes to correct. If there is something to correct, I'll correct it. These people want to see us be successful. They like our business and we want to be loved by the community. Not everybody can love you 100% of the time and not everybody can love you all the time. So all I can say is we're going to promise you that we'll do our best from this day going forward. Now I'm involved. So it's going to happen. Thank you.

Mr. Chernoff, would you like to speak? Again, unfortunately, I will give you the same guidelines of if we can keep it to the expansion of the service area outside. And thank you for pulling that down.

Cause I, thank you very much. I don't know, do I have to, the name? I think, Eileen Chernoff, Andrew Lorimer, 20 Point Road.

Thank you.

I understand that this is about the expansion of the liquor license and the outdoor bar. I have some comments, obviously, that are more toward the noise and the drunken karaoke sounds and the smell of marijuana and the things that we deal with every single from Wednesday to Sunday because of the outdoor bar that is up and operating and has been up and operating for quite a long time. One of the things that... does make me angry is that i spent 27 months to build a garage a one-car garage and many of those months was for item because i was 173 and a half feet from the water's edge the the buildings outbuildings other things that are on the property at sunset cove are within 200 feet of the you know, of the shoreline, as well as the flagpole and other things that I had to work very hard and submit papers and, you know, pay a lot of money for all the permits to do all of that properly. And I feel that that neighbor and maybe other neighbors are not doing that. So that does make me very angry. Second of all, I do feel that the outdoor bar, when it first started, right after Kristen would have a wedding, we would go and she would say, yeah, I know, it was the DJ, and you could have a conversation back and forth. That has not happened since it's been Sunset Cove. And although I have to concede that the drunken karaoke on Thursday nights has stopped because that has been... screaming, drunken people. But people running on my seawall, kids jumping off at the back of the yard. full marijuana smoke, depending on when the wind is, when I can have young kids or underage kids in my backyard, is not acceptable. And that is purely from that time and the outside area and the lights and the music and the things that go along with that. One of the things that I did research was some of our policies, the declaration of policies for the town. And I do feel that we have the right to be reasonable from noise, which jeopardizes the health and welfare, and it unnecessarily degrades the quality of our life. Our taxes went... Our part on, you know, Island Park was now deemed two times what it was our taxes, not just the taxes up, but the property went up, twice of what it was last year. All of that is the backyard, and we are unable to use our backyard for the entire summer from Wednesday to Sunday because of the noise, the screaming, the drinking, and the carrying on and smell that we have. and I'll make it very simple because I want to stay within the quote of it. We request that the application be rejected for the breaches of the, obviously the town noise ordinance, which doesn't apply. And it also appears that he has been in breach of the terms of his current literal license. And I think that it should be rejected on the grounds of there should be some consequence for the previous actions that he's had. There should be accountability, and there should be cause and effect, and there should be some sanctions and or penalty for carrying on. That bar has been there, I don't know, how long has it been? Has it been three years now? The bar went in almost immediately after that. So thank you for your time.

Thank you, Ms. Sherrill. Appreciate it. Ms. Hartman?

if you could just name an address as well sure heather hartman 46 point road in portsmouth i've been a resident for over 12 years now and enjoy the local environment the businesses that are around i do patronize them but i've noticed in the past year and again a lot of mine was focused on noise but i will say that the bar and alcohol and entertainment go hand in hand and that the gentleman wanted to be a good neighbor, but we don't feel that he's acting that way. Also, with what Eileen said about the CRMC permits, we have had to do a permit for everything that we've done, whether it be siding on a house or the roof or whatever. So I would like to see that they also follow the rules for getting the right permits that's outside, and it's within the 200 feet. It costs us money, and we've also had to go in and work hard you know to get those applications done so i think that that should be followed as well um the we live about um we're 46 point road we live our backyards from here to sunset cove are about 600 feet away and we can clearly hear the amplified noise and so whether it be people talking but then especially again i know that's not the specifics of it but it goes with the bar they're doing it outside because of the bar And so I know being on the town council can be a very difficult job. I would not want it, but this is the first time that I've spoken at any kind of town council because I felt, and my family and other residents are here from our neighborhood, that this is a pretty serious thing for us. You can't sit on your deck. You're hearing the music. Sometimes it's good. And I don't mind the special events. A special event is wonderful. That brings in a lot of people to the community, but that's not every day. you know, their, um, their Mac McNally band a couple of days, you know, for the week, that's an excellent event. They do an excellent job with the fireworks. We all appreciate that. Um, and they have really good food. We like to stop by that, but at the same time, um, getting back to that good neighbor and, and I think a negative vote to expand the bar until they can address the noise complaints, the noise concerns, and the overall behavior. There's a lot of people that, um, you know wander around and and it's not just their business but the motorcycles at one in the morning coming from some of the other bars things like that thank you thank you anyone else yeah

John Vitevich, 119 Hummock Avenue, Portsmouth, on Rhode Island. Saturday, 6-16. I'm driving past Sunset Cove. Busy night. As it's been pretty busy down there the past couple of weekends. I'm always driving slow and watching out for other people. You're watching people get out of the cars with their phones in their hands, not looking, opening the doors. People are driving by. It's a bit of a nightmare with that many cars down there. But what exasperates it is the overflow lot at Safe Harbor that they're using. I've counted over 100 cars in that lot. So if there's two people in the car, that's another 200 people that are drinking outside on the one. My concern was on Saturday at 616. Some parents had pulled in there. They're right in the front on the right side. And they were both getting stuff out of the car. And there had to be two and a half year old walks behind the car and he's walking out to Park Avenue. All right. And yeah, exactly. I froze. I hit the brake. I didn't want to blow the horn because I don't want to scare anybody. You know, and then within seconds, the parents realized, oh, I don't have the kid. Oh, you don't have the kid. Oh, where's the kid? And they went and got him. That is unacceptable. I don't know legally, morally, ethically, if the use of the parking area at Safe Harbor is good or bad. Yeah, it just lets them put more people there. But they've got a pretty good-sized parking lot, and they've got Park Avenue, and they've been up to the edge there. The other thing is the outside liquor license. There are seven liquor licenses in Island Park. Mike and Denny have three of them. All right. I think they should have known that they needed the exterior license. Had something happened two weeks ago. I'm wondering if their insurance company attorneys have told me that, you know, if something happened and they want them to do something with liquor liability, they would say, no, we only cover you for the inside. We don't cover you for the outside. And that's been going on for quite a while. So my recommendation to this council tonight is simple. uh deny tonight's application let them wait a year july 27th the next year let them come back and pitch that again and we'll see where let's see how good of a neighbor they can be without a bar license outside that's it and by the way the the acoustic stuff is gone it's all rock and roll now which is not bad but you all know where i live and i can hear it up there so thank you for your time thank you mr vikevich anyone else

Yeah, I have another question that I just thought of. So the last few weeks that you have been waiting, and this is for you, Denny, this question, you serve liquor from the windows. I was there one of the times you served it. And that is covered by the indoor license, correct? Yes. And so how much of a hardship is it if you use that until you have this meeting with the... Mary, thanks for coming and spending money with us. Oh, I had some money there.

We did that because of the health department. The first week wasn't bad. People who want to have a cocktail, a mudslide, they don't want to go to a window. The bar just creates a nice atmosphere. We're still going to serve alcohol. It'll be through the window, but that has definitely affected our business negatively because people stopped coming. The bar is just, it's a small tiki bar. We're going to serve liquor anyway. It's just better for our business to have the bar open, just more conducive to that, to that atmosphere. And I apologize to our neighbors about the noise. We've done everything we could. We've moved the bands. We've checked the decibels. We've never been above it. We called the police actually and asked them, tell us who complained. They said, we can't tell you, but we haven't gotten a complaint. We got a complaint two years ago. The CRMC, by the way, we have, and when I bought my house, I had to deal with the CRMC. It's not fun and it's not cheap. So we did that. We didn't realize that we had to do that with the bar. That has been submitted by Neil at Narragansett Engineering. to get the bar approved. Amy has been in contact with us, been a supporter. So we think that's going to happen very soon with the CRMC.

I guess that's another question that I have. So you don't have the permit from CRMC to do this, to have that?

No, we should very quickly this week.

Very quickly?

Yeah.

I don't think so.

No, it's...

I don't think you dealt with CRMC.

It's moving.

I don't think so.

They're fast tracking it for us. I expect that to happen.

I wish I had your name then. My last thing that I just got the other day that took me eight months. Just an improvement. I'm really concerned here. So you don't have that from CRMC. Right? Right.

No, Neil Narragansett has submitted the application. We just found all, like I said, Mary, we didn't do anything maliciously. We thought we were running a good business. We tried and all this stuff is hitting us at once and we're just doing the best we can to comply.

Okay, I'm going to hold you there for a second. Mary, if you can bring up Neil. Pop this hand up there.

Hi, can you hear me okay?

Yes, Neil, go ahead. Great. Sorry, I'll be very, very brief. All I can say is that we have submitted an application for the bar to CRMC. I've spoken with Amy. It might be a moment before the permit is issued, but she's assured us that she's received it, and we have submitted the permit for it. So there will not be, Amy's words, not mine, any enforcement from Coastal on this, and it should be processed as a regular assent. Neil, if you could do me a favor, just identify yourself for your name and address, please.

Sure.

Neil Hingorani, Narragansett Engineering, 3102 East Monroe, Portsmouth. And for those of us who don't live by CRMC, although I do believe I know who Amy is, can we specifically say who Amy is at CRMC, please? For everybody else.

Of course. I'm so sorry. Yes. Amy Silva. She's the senior environmental scientist who handles our neighborhood. Thank you.

Great. That's all. Ms. Chernoff, you have another question. Please just come up to the podium so folks at home can hear you as well. Thank you. I appreciate that.

I would just like you to tell me the date that that tiki bar was installed because I am sure that it is not a brand new installation because I can see it from my deck. It has been a couple years at least.

What you said before is accurate. We've It was installed two and a half years ago. Why would I lie about that? I'm also going to tell the truth that we didn't know that the liquor license had to be put out there. We thought that the liquor license we had for the inside was good for the outside. So it wasn't done maliciously. And we're doing everything we can to correct it.

Previously, there was a time during the, I hated the term, but the COVID era when things like this were allowable, but now we're not. Now, the building and the CRMC issues are separate of that, but my thoughts are it has been running as a viable, relatively clean, honest business for the past two and a half, three years with a bar outside. We can make it approvable with the contingency of that the plumbing, electrical, and building permits are all clean. So that the town clerk does not release the license Thursday unless all those permits are done in time. As far as all the other stuff, I would ask the four of you to go with Denny outside and have a conversation and see if we can't set up that, sorry, five of you, I'm assuming you're with them, and have that conversation and set up a community meeting.

Thanks. Thanks, Keith. I just want you guys to know we want to be good neighbors and we'll figure out how to do that so that you're, so you haven't done with, you haven't dealt with karaoke's over, but you haven't dealt with me, and I promise you.

I'm going to ask you both to hopefully carry on this conversation outside so we can potentially move on with the rest of our agenda, unfortunately. But any other comments, questions? Ms. Blank.

In my opinion, ignorance is not bliss and having other establishments. I feel like we all know if you build something on your yard, you get the proper permitting. And I have a hard time believing it was unknown about the liquor license. I feel the ownership is on you to educate yourself on that topic. I have a hard time approving this with so many outstanding items still in flux. And just because it has been happening doesn't mean, well, I guess we'll allow it to continue. If this was the first time coming forward and was not in place prior to this and the request was for a liquor license right now with all these other contingencies not in place, I don't feel any of us would approve that is my opinion on it.

Mr. Gleason. Yes. I'm ready to make a motion here, but I think we would be remiss if we didn't hear from a police chief if there are any issues that the police department has with the existing conditions.

Not in reference to what's solely on the agenda, which is the outdoor expansion. Thank you.

Can I ask a follow-up question to you, Chief? There's not an issue with purchasing alcoholic beverages inside the establishment and sitting outside with it. Is that accurate?

I'd have to see what their license actually says. Certain ones are different where they can only have it within the four corners of the actual building. So depending on what the license was classified as, but I have to look at their license.

Understood. Denny, do you happen to know the answer to that? For the clarification?

long as you purchase it inside like currently if we weren't to do anything you can carry the alcohol outside to drink but uh yeah okay thank you i i know there's different variances

There was an amendment to the state statutes that allow the outside. That's why you see a lot of sidewalk service now, especially if you go up and down Federal Hill and Newport and everything. So you can purchase it and bring it outside and have it in their enclosed area, which is enclosed now with fences. So you can't, as far as I know, I don't think you can bring it out front to the parking lot, but I think you can keep it out back.

You're right. It's an enclosed area. It has to be identified and segregatable from the general public. And only with additional special licenses can you close a street down and have the drinks in the street. That's a separate process, but not normally concluded with a license.

Not what we're asking for here.

Correct.

Okay.

Mr. Rees or Ms. Patton, any other questions? Mr. Gleason.

So aside from us either approving or denying this request tonight, I think it's pretty obvious that I think I'll speak for myself. I was disappointed there hasn't been any communication with Mike McFarland and the group that came before us a month ago.

Well, I'll clarify. I know that Mr. McFarland and Mr. Clark spoke. They did. But I don't know. Okay. Okay. Oh, here comes Greg. I was told that they had spoke.

Okay.

Greg. Craig, you got to unmute yourself, I think.

There you go. Hi, Craig Clark, 701 Park F. Mike and I spoke by phone the following Saturday after the Monday meeting. We were supposed to have a meeting with Denny and myself, and I was trying to organize other neighborhood folks to get together, and the meeting never happened on Monday. Okay. So we did have a phone call, but that's as far as it got. Okay. And can I just say one other thing? Sure. You know, as a small business owner in town, you have to follow the rules. And if I don't pull a permit for a job I'm doing, there's a fine, immediate fine. of $500 for whatever I'm doing. And again, I like the place. I don't wanna hurt it. But on the other hand, there's gotta be repercussions. I don't agree with everything that's going on here today. And the only thing that we have as neighbors here to hold over their head is this liquor license right now, because there's a complete disregard for our, whatever happens, it doesn't matter. Bands are just rocking over here. We're living next to the wind chamber at this point, and I'm just tired of it. So that's all I have to say. Thank you. Thank you, Greg.

So anyways, you know, I would like to see the business, you know, go forward for the rest of the summer, but with the constraints that they need to speak to the owners and there needs to be some future changes, you know, I would like to make a motion to approve the request based on obtaining all necessary building permits, including CRMC, and the time constraint would be through Labor Day only at this point.

I'll second that.

So you're allowing them, so if they don't have permits by Thursday... Then they're going to have to go inside to get their drinks, and then you're only going to allow the alcohol until... Labor Day, even if they get the permits. So they would have to come back prior to Labor Day if they wanted to further expansion. This is not a permanent expansion. This is a temporary seasonal until November 30th, similar to the one we just did.

Okay. So I would make an addition to the motion that once the permits are obtained, that the seasonal expansion would be through November 30th, 2026.

Instead of the Labor Day.

Well, the Labor Day is, yeah, we can throw Labor Day out. So if they don't get any permits, they're not going to stay in business. So, yeah. Let's scrap the Labor Day.

Do we need to second that?

No. Just to confirm, the motion is to approve the license contingent on the permits being approved. and expansion through November 30th.

Correct. Okay.

Thank you for helping me clarify that. Just making sure we're all on the same page. Included CRMC permits. Correct. Okay. And Mr. Reese, you seconded originally, correct? Okay. You'll second that again. Ms. McDowell.

Yeah, I would not be able to be in favor of that without an amendment to that saying that also with the permits that there be a community meeting held with the owner.

I think that was part of your original motion.

It wasn't in the motion, but it was suggested that it still needs to happen.

This would be more than a suggestion. It would be part of our motion that that would have to happen. The permits would have to be in place, all permits, before I could vote on it, for sure.

So I would make a second tier amendment, which is saying the meeting has to happen before the expansion occurs. Correct? That's what you're making?

I think it was a community meeting should happen before the license is given out. Just if you want to add that to the motion. So sometime between now and Thursday, the community would have to get together probably at Sunset Cove and have a discussion. Right. Or one of the other facilities that might have a bigger spot, whether Blue Anchor or Trent Lease.

So would it make sense to put it on the next agenda and make sure these things are in place?

No, because we have staff that will take care and make sure that if they don't have the permits, then the clerk won't release the license. We've done contingencies like this all the time. If they come in and they don't have all the permits done, if they go upstairs and check with Leah's department, then the license doesn't get released.

Mr. McDowell, I think we have some protection with Mr. Clark there. I think Mr. Clark is going to come forward and say whether this meeting occurred or not. And that would be part of the...

But there's one thing to have a meeting and then there's another thing to have a resolve at the meeting. So let's say there's no resolve at this meeting and it's a The community, the neighbors are still very upset because concessions haven't been made, discussions haven't taken place. I mean, to have a meeting is one thing. To feel that there's a resolve with the community is another thing. And I personally feel that that should be in place.

Again, we're talking, at this point, a seasonal expansion until November, if all permits are pulled. There is no permanent expansion. If they want to come back next year and open up on Memorial Day, I'll just use a date, they still have to get a license to do that next year as well. So this is not a permanent expansion of that area. This is a temporary seasonal until November 30th. If there's a permanent expansion, they have to apply for that as well. Or as Locals has done for seven, eight years now, request that seasonal.

All right.

This is a new expansion for their seasonal because they're looking for an outdoor service alcohol area.

Ms. Blank. Clarifying question. I have small kids. I go to bed early. What time is the liquor license? How late are they allowed to serve alcohol until?

I believe they go till 10 o'clock, 9 o'clock normally, 10 o'clock on some nights. I can't admit to anyone to clarify that. I know... I know I've been thrown out of Trampolines by 11. It used to be 1 o'clock. And Blue Anchor is 9 o'clock?

9 o'clock, yeah. Blue Anchor is 10 o'clock also. So both are 10. Music stops at 8.30 for those people. We try to stop that a little bit earlier.

Music stops at 8.30? Yes, ma'am. Alcohol stops at 10?

Yes.

Is that even Wednesday nights?

Yes.

Okay. So it's not a weekend week.

No, it's just Wednesday through actually Sunday. We close earlier than that. You know, people go back to work and they're not, not out this late on Sundays, but yeah.

Question. Is there any, I feel that there should be repercussions. I absolutely love sunset Cove being in our community, but I feel there should be repercussions for the, what feels like just disregard. Um, is that something that we could put a limitation on the timeframe of the outdoor liquor license?

I believe so.

Um,

I don't think you can do that tonight. I think you'd have to have a separate agenda item referencing that potential essentially revocation and reissuance with a limitation. But the agenda item tonight is only for the expansion of the service area, not the license itself.

But for the seasonal one, a contingency as Mr. So if if

I'll try and clarify this, I think. Could we make it a contingency, not a contingency, but a stipulation of the expansion for the outside portion, that outside service stops at 9?

I'm sorry, yes. So I think you could put an hours limitation on the outside bar operating. Outside bar closes at 9. The inside bar could be open until 10. But they could still serve drinks out the window until the time that license allows them to do that. So I'm not sure how much of a limitation that is, but yes, you could.

Yes, that is what I was attempting. Perfect.

Mr. Dell.

I propose that we wait until our next meeting, see what's transpired in all these areas that we've talked to tonight, the permits, the meeting, and postpone it to our next meeting. I would ask the council to consider that.

I have a question instead of the motion.

First, we have three. So to two and a half. We have a motion in a second to approve the seasonal expansion through November 30th contingent on all permits being approved and finalized. Would you will, are you willing to amend your motion to add outside service or do you want to make that as a motion? You had secondary motion.

Yeah. We got enough motions on the table.

There's only one. Just an amendment.

To amend it.

Or you can make a secondary motion. That's where you get done. But you can make an amendment. You can ask for amendment to this motion to stop outside service at nine o'clock or something, whatever your number. I'm just pulling a number out there.

Yeah, what Keith said.

It's not what I said.

What Keith said in my words.

Okay, so you would like to make a motion to Stop outside service at 9 o'clock.

Yes. For the seasonal.

For the seasonal license.

For the seasonal license.

Is there a second? Second.

Okay.

So now we're going to vote on the amendment to the motion, which is to stop outside service at 9 p.m. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Thank you. Thank you. Motion passes 5 to 1. Now, the motion as amended is to approve the seasonal expansion through November 30th, contingent on all permits being completed and the service outside ending at 9 p.m. And a community meeting. That's in the permits. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes five to one. I know Denny is a man of his word. I hope you all can get together with him. I also can't stand the smell of pot. But unfortunately, it's not just there. I mean, walking down the street, it's brutal. And I wish we could stop that. But unfortunately, it's semi-legal in the state.

I'd just like to add one more thing, Mr. President. I can't tell what departments what to do. There has been some discussion tonight that people that run businesses should know that they're doing something wrong, et cetera, and it doesn't preclude any type of issues of enforcement by our own planning department or building department, if they feel that's necessary. That's my two cents worth on this. I understand. At least I understand what you said.

Okay.

Do we have a motion to adjourn as the Board of Licensed Commissioners?

So moved.

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes 6-0. Next up, we have our minutes from 6-22-26. Any executive that was beforehand? Motion to approve. Any presented?

Second.

No adjustments or clarifications? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes 6-0. I'll get this right. Mr. Raynor, Town Administrator's Report, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President, Town Council, ladies and gentlemen. As of this morning, there are 311 households on Prudence Island signed up for the Prudence Island Transfer Station. There's 1,758 households signed up for the Headlee Street Transfer Station, and there's 2,738 households signed up for Kurdzai. I'd like to recognize that the police department as a result of their maintenance of the status as an accredited agency through the Rhode Island Accreditation Commission, or RIPEC, that the Rhode Island Trust has contributed $1,000 to the department to help offset the annual RIPEC participation fee. Additionally, the trust will continue a lower deductible policy for the department, which is substantially lower than for non-accredited agencies. I also want to mention that RIPTA has announced it is extending the Aquidneck Island flex on demand pilot program through the end of December. This service has been available in Portsmouth since the spring and gives residents, commuters and visitors just another transportation option by allowing them to schedule on demand rides within the service area. This extension will give RIPTA more time to evaluate how the service is being used before they make any long-term decisions on the permanent adoption of the program. And more information is available at the RIPTA website. Just a reminder that Town Hall will be closed Monday, August 10th for Victory Day. RYREC or the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation landfill will also be closed for Victory Day. Therefore, curbside service will be delayed one day that week. So the Friday route will be collected on that Saturday. The transfer station will be closed that Monday, but will remain open on Wednesday of that week. On Saturday, August 22nd, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a community event at Glen Park as part of the Portsmouth's America 250 celebration. Our Recreation Department has been putting together live music, children's entertainment, food trucks, and family activities throughout the afternoon. The idea is to give everyone a chance to come together as a community to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation's independence. It's shaping up to be a pretty good event, and I'd encourage everyone to mark their calendars. As the Recreation Department finalizes the schedule over the next few weeks, we'll continue to get word out and share additional details. Our finance director, Kayla Marsden, has accepted another professional opportunity and will be leaving the town effective August 18th. Kayla joined the town as a finance clerk in October of 2021. She was promoted to town accountant in October of 2022, and then promoted to finance director in December of 2023. During her time with Portsmouth, she's been an outstanding member of our leadership team. She's done an exceptional job managing the town's finances, guiding us through the annual budget and audit processes, and helping to maintain the town's strong financial position. So on behalf of the town, I'd like to say thank you, Kayla, for your dedication and service over the past several years. We wish you nothing but the best in your new position. The recruitment process for a new finance director is already underway, and we are committed to making the transition as smooth as possible. In the meantime, we have a solid finance team in place and will work to ensure continuity in the department. And then lastly, just a note that our annual road paving program will get underway on August 3rd, and that will continue through September 1st. This year's work includes Founders Avenue, Robert Avenue, Sunset Avenue, Settler Street, Ann Avenue, Homestead Lane, April Lane, Lawrence Drive, and Gideon Lawton Lane. As with any paving project, there will be temporary traffic impacts, parking restrictions, and during the final paving, there'll be some brief road closures while the new pavement is being installed. So we do ask residents for their patience and cooperation while the work is being completed. And additional information is available on the town's website. That concludes my report, Mr. President.

I have a question.

Hang on a second.

Okay.

Uh, thank you, Mr. Rainer. I would also like to thank Kayla for all her hard work. Um, and what you have done to more professionalize the office, to make our reports much more clear and keeping a steady ship in the finance department. So thank you and good luck on your new endeavors. Mr. Reese.

Yes, Mr. Raynor. I just have a quick question. What's the status of the end of the year financial report? The audit?

I guess that's what you... Or the report that... They actually report... Our monthly report that we usually get the last... Yeah.

Okay. Yeah. For many years now, that report is giving together with the July report at the end of August because the books close for the finance year in the beginning of August.

All right. And can you give us a status on Sprague Street and how that's coming along?

I can get you an answer in the morning. I know that that construction is going on fine.

I can tell you it's a lot smoother than it was before they started. But I mean, just anecdotally driving through it, it looks like it's coming along pretty well. It's open. Okay.

So you always have that sign up there saying.

Right now they're working on the curbing on the north side where the sidewalk will go. I mean, it looks like it's moving along pretty well. I hope that they're going to be done for school. That's my,

hope is they're done before school starts so but again unfortunately or unfortunately in the state it is in it's still smoother than it was before they started it's new it's new pavement enforcement put in by somebody other than us mr glees if i could just uh make a comment about the curbside and the transfer station uh business some of people have come forward and complained about uh the rollout time. And I think part of it, I want to take part of that hit because we pushed this thing up to the end. We were trying to save money on both programs and we left two weeks, three weeks roughly for people to get stickers. And I'm here next year. I'm going to try harder to give us some more time. solve that issue. The other issue is people are saying it's a lot of money to come up with at once. And I think Mr. Rainer has mentioned it. I'd like him to repeat it again. There are plans to change that for next year.

I believe the hope is that at some point we can do it as a quarterly payment, similar to our taxes. Yeah. So unfortunately, some of our software programs are Not user-friendly. We'll just go with that and don't allow for it. It's Civic Plus, so. Ms. Blank, you were first. Oh, your light's on. Did you want? Okay. Ms. Blank.

I just wanted to say thank you to the finance director. I really appreciate all your efforts through the time that you have worked here and appreciate always being very responsive and thorough in your answers. Thank you and good luck.

Ms. McDowell, sorry.

I too, Kayla, say thank you for all you've done for the town in the area of finance. It's been very easy to deal with you. You're very pleasant under the most difficult situations and I've appreciated that. So thank you very much. So with the numbers here, I personally am pretty pleased with the 311 at Prudence Island. We talked about this in our ad hoc committee at great length, trying to determine the number of people. who would sign up for this, is there a possibility to send out a reminder on that official, like we sent them the bill? Is it possible to send out a reminder to those people at Prudence, officially?

124, roughly, that have it. I think we can manage that.

Yeah, we could do that. That'd be great.

Because it was. Your back was turned and you didn't see the person who has to handle it do it. They just got a reminder on their bill. Oh, they did? Oh, with the tax bill? Great.

Thank you very much, Matt. And then I heard you, I heard us talk about the residents who have come forward and talked about quarterly installments. And I would hope, I know we're going to be working on it, but I would hope that we could promise them tonight that we will have a solution in place for next year. That is my hope. My other thing with the transfer station stickers and bags, it was brought to my attention that some residents are purchasing orange bags online. Has anyone heard that?

This came up many, many years ago when it was first implemented.

More recently?

I haven't heard any complaints recently.

Okay.

There was one incident last week. We got the plate number and the police are investigating that. Okay.

Somebody purchased bags online? Yeah. Just orange colored bags and not with the stamp on it? No stamp on it. Okay, gotcha.

So, Paul, this is just a concern that is it possible to just make the people who are there aware of that so that they can just look if they're not helping somebody else?

The one person that's there, Mary?

Yes. Yep. The one person that's there.

Yes.

Okay.

That's how they found the bags were dumped illegally. They are watchin'.

And then the other thing that I was told was that people, there are some residents who purchase the $10 tick, the $10 sticker, but they, they're giving it to somebody else in another car. Is that, have you heard anything like that?

No, the license plates numbers are written on the stickers and the transfer station gate attendance check to make sure the sticker is matched. Yes.

Okay.

They're supposed to. I'm not there 100% of the time.

Okay. But at the beginning of the new season, it would be great if people knew that the attendant was looking at the sticker and looking at the license plate. I think it would be important, especially at the beginning of a new season, to do that.

I will remind them to do so.

Great. Thank you.

Thank you, Paul.

Is that all? No, just another thing with the finance. I just want to make some comments about, and I've said it before, and I feel I do need to say it again. Hiring is one of the most important tasks of a town administrator and a town council. You have always indicated your reluctance, Mr. Rayner, to allow a couple members of the council to take part in the interviewing process of top-level employees for the town. While I am acutely aware of the town charter and the limitations it sets regarding the council's role in the hiring of personnel, I am also aware that the council can request to play an advisory role in the process. the reason i believe so strongly in a collaborative process is in hiring is that i have seen the benefits over and over again whether choosing a new principal a new fire chief a new teacher a new town administrator a committee made up of different stakeholders always proved to be a richer and more successful endeavor this is the only organization that i've worked in that doesn't believe collaboration brings better results the council was elected by the citizens of portsmouth because they believed that they that we would do what was in the best interests of our town they had the confidence in us to do just that sometimes i feel that um that you don't have the confidence in us to work with you to find the best candidate for a high level position. I am reaching out once more to ask you to reconsider your position and allow two council members to take part in the interviewing process of securing a new director of finance solely as participants in an advisory nature at best.

We can't. It is strictly against the Home Rules Charter. I will read the... And this was done multiple times. I have been, fortunately or unfortunately, been here long enough where we used to interview. And then 305 was put in and says, the council or any of its members shall not direct or request the appointment of any person to or removal from office by the town administrator or by any administrator's subordinates. Yeah, that is... We interview... and hire the administrator to do that job. He manages the subordinates from here down. That's it. We approve. He'll bring a pump somebody forward. We can approve it or reject that person if we wanted to. But that is handled by staff, starting with Mr Rainer and our H. R. Director. And unfortunately, that's the way it is unless we have a charter amendment to 305.

So I couldn't put forth a resolution to have two council members as part of that in an advisory role?

No.

I cannot do that? Is that correct? Or can I have a legal opinion on that?

Yeah. Seeing this... Hearing that this issue may come up tonight, I talked to co-counsel, Attorney Larissa. His review is that you can't just look at that one section in a vacuum. I believe, and I apologize if I get the citation wrong, I believe it's Charter Section 304C, which references the consent of the council for those appointments could be certainly read and then this council could choose to interpret it as reading that the consent has to be informed and imply a right to be more involved in the process than perhaps they have been in the past. Again, it would be purely advisory. There would be no ability to drive the decision of Mr. Rayner or any town administrator on that front until such point as it gets put in front of the council for the vote that's called for in Section 304. But as a practical matter, I think what you're suggesting, Councilor McDowell, is that Being there at the interview stage is perhaps a necessary component to give informed consent as a council when that vote under Section 304C comes up. And I don't think that's an unreasonable interpretation. It's up to this town council to make that policy decision as to how you're interpreting those charter provisions. It doesn't prohibit you from doing it, certainly.

So are you saying that I could bring forth, from a legal point of view, are you saying that I could bring forth at the next meeting a resolution that would look to put two council members on and not be in deference to the charter?

Yes.

As in advisory compassion?

I would just encourage that resolution to be very explicit as to the non-decision making capacity of those two council members other than when it comes back to this full council. Absolutely.

Absolutely.

That interpretation, which I think is completely false on Mr. Luris' part, would imply that we all have informed consent, which we don't. So unless all seven of us are doing that interview process to get that informed consent from those interviewees, then it doesn't exist.

Well, I think it's the equivalent of having a council liaison on a town committee. It's meant to have one person from the council bring that information back or that specific experience back to the council to help inform the entire council.

I'm going to read this to you. You tell me where it gives informed consent.

I know the word informed isn't in there, but consent implies that they have some...

know okay the adequate knowledge to make the consensus this this is underneath the town administrator shall have the power and shall be required section c shall be required to appoint all department heads and all and other officers and employees provided for in this charter and applicable state law and established by ordinance whose appointment and or election is not otherwise provided for all departments and all the appointments of department heads being subject to the approval of the town council and all other appointments being subject to appropriate personnel policies and to recommend to the town council the removal of any department head appointed pursuant to this provisions of this section. I don't think there's any wiggle room in there. And if we have to use wiggle room, then we should avoid the wiggle.

Period. I understand your position. I think that it could be read to imply that when it talks about town council approval, there is a process that is presumed to go before that approval. It is not a black and white name on an empty sheet of paper. There is information that the council can demand and how they get that information is up to this council.

There is not a black and white process It could be a black and white person, a name on a piece of paper. There is a process that our HR, town administrator do to provide this council with legitimate candidates. And they go through that process through every appointment. This was changed specifically so that the town council was not interfering with the appointments of individuals. I mean, we literally would interview town council people. I know I've told this story before. We interviewed firefighters. I looked at the chief one time and looked and said, don't ever hire that person because they're going to set a fire on the way to work so they can go put it out. But until section 305 changes, I'm not changing my opinion. This was put forth by members of this council and voted on by the citizens of Portsmouth to remove the council from the hiring decisions, mainly to say, hey, Chief Peters, make sure you hire my kid as a police officer.

That's the intent. And that is still completely barred under the provision. I have no dispute with you over that. That is completely barred under the charter.

I will also point out that doing this process will delay the hiring of potentially good candidates and make it a longer process.

I'm not weighing in on other than my legal opinion on this and the business and process and policy decision is the seven of you. So you, myself, and Mr. Larris will disagree that.

Okay. Any other questions on the town administration report? I know we have people online, so I don't want to make them wait too much longer. We have resignations and appointments. We have first the resignation of Mr. Commons from the Harbor Commission.

Motion to receive his resignation with regret, the resignation of Clay Commons and the Harbor Commission.

So.

All those in favor.

I oppose motion passes 6 to 0.

This president a motion to approve the reappointment of a representative on the discover Newport Matt Gray. All those in favor. I oppose motion passes 6 0 next up we have the dog park motion to reappoint Laurie Anderson to the dog park committee second. those in favor aye opposed motion passes six zero and then we have another reappointment by jimmy a reappointment to the harvard commission motion to reappoint ian ramston to the harvard commission second all those in favor aye opposed motion passes six to zero there are four appointments to the melville park committee motion to reappoint mr raymond abraham mr richard alexander to Jennifer Haga. Sorry if I get the name wrong. And Mr. Edward Rizzi.

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes 6-0. And next to the planning board for Mr. David. Motion to reappoint Mr. David Garceau to the planning board.

Second.

All those in favor. Aye. Opposed motion passes six to zero. Next up we have old business. Uh, we have had a request by Mr. Reese, uh, in our meeting on June, first meeting of June. Yeah. One of those, uh, to request, uh, to have three different entities come forth and give us a quick presentation on how they might handle our investment policies. I will let you go. I know we have them online.

All right. I'm just going to say this agenda item was initially presented to ensure the town's funds, which are in the tens of millions of dollars, are invested in an industry accepted safe method until the disbursement for expenses. As with our own funds, there are short, medium, and long-term accounts for day-to-day, regularly paid quarterly or semi-annual payments, as well as long-term holds. Personally, that would be a checking account with regularly scheduled transfers from savings to checking for known reoccurring bills, A money market account for quarterly and semi-annual larger expenses. And finally, CDs for long-term holdings. So that's what you do personally. A CD safety is limited by FDIC insurance limit of $250,000. To insure 1 million, you would need four CDs. 10 million, you'd need 40 CDs. If you did 20 million, you'd need 80 CDs to track and hold. The alternative is some sort of an investment pool, mutual fund style account, which invests in government bonds or similar secure notes and bills. Tonight, we will investigate and gain knowledge to insist in the prudent investment of liquid town funds. It should be noticed that the potential interest gained is income to the town, helping to reduce the burden on the taxpayers. An example is 3% on $1 million would be $30,000. 3% on $10 million would be $300,000, which is enough probably to purchase a new police cruiser at no cost to the taxpayer, or also offset the salary increases at no cost. As previously discussed, the pension committee will review and give a recommendation by August 24th, 2026 to the council. The council will make the final decision at that time. So, and then I'd like to, we have three people that are going to give their presentations.

Just a correction on the pension committee. They are, the first thing they're going to do is meet to review the bylaws as to whether or not they want to. I believe they already did that. They have not done that yet. The meeting didn't take place because members weren't available.

We have a member of the pension committee here.

Okay. I'm a liaison. Ms. McDowell is a liaison and looking at our finance director and shaking her head that the meeting did not happen. All right. It was supposed to happen today.

But I thought, oh, okay. I thought that was covered in one of the other ones. Okay.

Unfortunately, it hasn't happened yet to change the bylaws.

All right.

Well, we're going to get some education. So I don't know what order you have these in.

TD is online, so I prefer that they go first just to make sure they get off.

Okay. Mr. Grave, you have a question?

Tom Grave, 110 Theta Drive. Just a quick thing. You folks changed the bylaws at that meeting. The bylaws were changed. You're the only people that can change the bylaws. The Pension Committee cannot.

And members of the pension committee didn't want them changed, but we'll start from there.

That doesn't matter. You're back to the charter.

So we're starting with TD Bank, who's online. Good evening, Dean. Are you going to unmute yourself? All right.

He's going to unmute himself or something.

Nope. Dean, your microphone is not working or your mute's not. Kathy, you have it unmuted? That's a wonderful picture of the state.

We also have Chris Thomas. He is actually a representative. He can kick off the meeting.

Dean, we're going to let Chris start until you can get going. Hopefully by the time I'm done here. All right. Thank you.

Good evening, counselors. Chris Thomas, 6th County Court, Barrington, Rhode Island. Thank you, sir. And I'm a senior relationship manager with TD Bank. As the town's banking relationship manager, my responsibility is to work closely with the finance department to support the secure and efficient management of public funds. This includes helping the town manage its cash receipts and disbursements, enhance operational efficiencies, improve visibility into cash flow, and implement fraud prevention tools that safeguard taxpayers' resources. On behalf of TD Bank, I would like to thank you and express our sincere appreciation for the opportunity to serve the town of Portsmouth as a valued client. We are pleased to be at this meeting in response to the town's desire to maximize income derived from their short, medium, and long-term cash balances. We recognize the town's need for safety, liquidity, and return on all their funds. I'm pleased to introduce my partners from TD Wealth to discuss investment options for the town. Attending virtually from TD Wealth are Dean Balsamo, Institutional Relationship Manager, and Anthony Slovic, Institutional Senior Investment Advisor. They will discuss options and strategies for longer-term investments. Dean, I'll turn it over to you. Hopefully you have sound.

No. Unfortunately, Dean, you're not.

Okay. How about now? Here we go. Here we go, Dean. Welcome. Fantastic. All right. So thank you, Chris. And thank you, members of the council and anyone that's in attendance today for having us speak for a few moments. I know it's been a long night, so we will keep this brief. So as Chris mentioned, my name is Dean Balsamo. I am the a Metro New England relationship manager for our institutional wealth team. So we work exclusively with our TD commercial partners to address client-specific needs. Our institutional wealth team really has a host of comprehensive solutions, and it really is focused on a few key areas around foundations and endowments, RFPs, reviewing investment policy statements, corporate trust services, all areas corporate entities. And then the reason why we are here today will be the brokerage and investment management services, which really happens to be our most utilized offering with a high self-worth service that we deliver by a dedicated team. So that leads me to my other partner who's with us today. He is a subject matter expert on our investment team, and that's Anthony Slovic. And Anthony is our senior investment advisor, really dedicated to our New England team. He's been in the industry for 30 plus years, has earned his Chartered Financial Analyst designation. So Anthony will review a few high level details about the services that we think may be appropriate for the town of Portsmouth. with the understanding that we may dive in deeper into those details with the finance committee and the investment committee at a later time in a smaller forum to really break down the specific numbers. So with that, I will pass it off to Anthony, who can share a bit about what we think could be a possible to fit for your needs. Anthony?

Yes. Hello and good evening. Can everyone hear me?

Yes, sir. Yes.

Okay. I'm not able, I tried putting the video on, but it's disabled. So not to mess with that and for the sake of time, what I'm gonna talk about today, there we go, is really relate to the solution. It would be a treasury of ladder solution that i would be talking about today which would be in a brokerage account with td wealth which is part of a td bank you know this this solution here using u.s treasury bills is not you know fdi and c insured it's not bank guarantee but you know within that you know treasuries are of the highest degree of credit quality. US Treasuries are backed by the full fake credit of the US government. You know, accessing treasuries provides liquidity. The US treasury market is the largest secondary market in the world. So liquidity, when those cashflow needs and expenses do present themselves, you know, you have access to your funds very quickly. And also this solution also provides flexibility to be able to adjust the changes in interest rates and cash flows. So it's not a preset and just set and let it go. If changes do take place within the town's finances, we are able to make adjustments to the portfolio for those needs. From a trading authorization, transactions in the brokerage account are executed on a non-discretionary basis. Purchases or sales of securities must be approved by a signer authorized by the town. Working with TD, the town would maintain discretionary authority, but it would have direct support from a dedicated investment advisor. As securities approach the maturity date, the investment advisor, which is myself, would be in contact to discuss cashflow needs and address potential reinvestment. I would also be available should the town have additional cash to invest or face an unforeseen need that would require liquidation of a security prior to maturity. These securities are held with Pershing LLC, which we have a custodial relationship with them. They would provide all clearing, custody, and reporting services. This includes online access through our TD Wealth portal. It is a separate portal from the TD Bank side, but it does provide all the reporting needs that the town would be requesting. Also attached to this brokerage account, we could tie an operating account to it so we could conveniently transfer cash between the brokers in that set operating account. So those are really the functions of the brokerage account itself to provide an example of what a treasury bill ladder may look like. You know, over the next 12 months, a yield of such would fall probably in the range of 3.8 to 3.85, and that's obviously subject to availability and changes in prices as Treasury securities do move in fluctuating price daily. what may be discussed today could be changed later on based on conditions. If I would provide an example of that 12-month Treasury portfolio, it would be equally divided in, say, four tranches of a T-bill maturing every three months or, say, on a quarterly basis. That is really just... you know to hedge against interest rate changes over that time it also provides an opportunity that that we would have an update from the town on their financial needs to adjust their cap to adjust that portfolio for up for need to cash flow needs so the advantages are the the safety of the securities themselves the liquidity that they provide and also that flexibility along with a higher rate that may be offered through other type of securities available to the town.

Thank you, Anthony. Any questions for Dean Anthony or Chris?

Mr. Reese? Yes. What is being done now

for the day-to-day medium and long-term investments for the towns how is the town's money presently invested with your group i mean is that something we direct or do you recommend i can take that question so presently the town funds are in accounts that are essentially interest-bearing checking accounts so it's complete complete liquidity that are backed and they're collateralized by standby letters of credit

So all the town's money and it's invested that way. There's not long, short and medium term that's broken out in our needs. The money that's, we're not going to use in any future.

You're just putting in a checking account. We're talking about just the general fund.

Okay.

Liberty day fund. We're not talking about pension monies or anything like that.

Pensions are all separate thing. Nope. Okay. Um, Most services sound like you were proposing now, not what you're doing now. And that's what it sounds like. I've heard various things we could be doing for higher rates, ladded treasuries, things like that. But all of it sounded like you could do, you could do. So that's not what you're doing now. So are we not making as much money as we could be now?

By implementing these strategies, and I wanted to also add that TD Bank could offer collateralized certificates of deposit to support additional tax revenue on tax collection funds. And those would be fully collateralized as well with a laddered maturity date. And that will help maximize return, giving flexibility to the town's financing department to manage cash flow needs.

If you were to be managing our money, wouldn't you be looking in the best interest in the town, for the town, and trying to get the most interest and not having us just find out about this, maybe some of this stuff now? Really? Well, no, most of the stuff they're proposing, that isn't what they're doing with it now. Because we haven't asked them to do it. Well, that's where I, no, but that's why I don't think we should be asking. I think if you're an advisor for the amount of money you're working with.

Well, they haven't been hired as an advisor. They've been hired as a bank to withhold our money. They haven't been hired as an advisor.

So they don't give us any advice.

We haven't hired anyone as an advisor for that pool of money. We would have to do an RFP to do that to see what would come back as the best proposal to do that.

All right. It's different than I thought, the way the money's being invested.

No, it's been told that we've invested in essentially a money market checking account.

These checking accounts, again, they earn interest. The interest also defers any fees that are related to the treasury services that are charged to the account for the daily payments and receipts and wires, anything operationally that the town experiences. There's charges that come with that. The first X dollars, basically take away any of those charges. Anything above that has been earning interest.

Mr. Reese, I did provide a income tracker back in March that showed the amount that was available monthly and how it's accumulating through just the regular money market.

All right. And you mentioned something about they're not T-bills, they're letters of credit.

So for the, we call it operating cash with TD Bank, that is backed up by standby letters of credit. At the very minimum, 101% backed. So those standby letters of credit are from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh. The CDs from TD Bank that I was discussing, those also would be backed up by those same standby letters of credit.

Which would protect the town.

Which would, yes.

100%, there's no risk of principal loss.

In the event that TD was to no longer exist, the town could take those letters of credit, go to the window of the Federal Home Loan Bank and receive all their funds back.

Okay.

All right. Any other questions for the group at TD? I'll just do it that way. All right. Thank you, gentlemen. I appreciate it for your time tonight.

Thank you very much. We appreciate it. We look forward to further discussion.

Thank you, Chris. Anthony, thank you. You're very welcome. Who is next in line, Kayla?

Next, we have Fidelity Ocean State Investment Pool.

There he is, hiding in the back.

Good evening. Good evening. Can you hear me okay? Yes. I'm Jason Wagner. I'm obviously not a resident of Rhode Island, given my accent. I'm actually from North Carolina. I flew up today. Welcome. Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to present this on behalf of your state treasurer's office under James Deosa, as well as their partnership with us, Fidelity Investments. What I'm here to introduce and talk to you about today is an investment option for your consideration for your operating cash. Kayla, thank you again for the opportunity. The Ocean State Investment Pool was actually established by your current treasurer back in 2010, where they did an RFP sent out to all asset managers.

Just to be clear, it wasn't our current treasurer.

No, no, this was established in 2010, to give you the history. So again, the Ocean State Investment Pool went out for request for proposal in 2010 to create a local government investment pool that is common with all of the other states in the union. It went out for bid. Fidelity successfully won that bid. And we have been the investment advisor to that fund since it going live in 2011 and went active. The fund currently stands at $1.5 billion in assets under management. And the current yield of that fund right now is 3.61% annualized rate. What does that mean? The fund itself was designed to operate and is managed in compliance with SEC Rule 287 as a money market fund. If you're not familiar, a money market fund is a mutual fund that at its core is designed to maintain a dollar per unit of ownership or maintain stable principal value. So every dollar equals one unit of ownership, and it is managed so that you do not have a loss of principal. The additional accrued or earned interest that I spoke of, you earn on whatever set balance that is. The Ocean State Investment Pool is actually set up and designed for only entities within the state of Rhode Island, municipalities, authorities, what have you. I have a list of current investors, a short list abbreviated just to give you an idea of what some of your neighbors and some of the authorities you're familiar with who are current investors in the fund. The state of Rhode Island itself has about 40 sub accounts for different entities within the state that they manage for on a separate basis. The town of Bristol, the town of Lincoln, the employees retirement system of Rhode Island, the city of Cranston, the University of Rhode Island, Narragansett Bay Commission, Rhode Island Health and Education, the Rhode Island College Investment Fund, City of East Providence, Rhode Island Public Transportation, Town of North Kingston, Cumberland, Woonsocket, City of Warwick, the Rhode Island Resource Recovery that we mentioned earlier in the agenda. But it is an investment option worth your consideration beyond... Potentially what I heard was your current strategy of sitting in an administered account where they get to determine how much they're willing to pay you on your deposit, whether it's a checking account structure and a savings account structure. I'm going to assume you're familiar with that. This is an actively managed mutual fund, which is the difference between a market-based return and an administered return. The underlying yield is based on, again, permissible investments allowed by the SEC Rule 287. Excuse me, my throat is dry. That will comprise of full faith and credit obligations of the U.S., U.S. Treasuries, U.S. Treasury bills. Operationally, how a money market fund works is you have access to every dollar of your funds during every trading day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. without any fees associated with that as far as transaction fees dollar in dollar out you don't have to actively manage or align maturities such as in a t-belt uh ladder that was spoken about prior where, oh, we have a bill due on November 30th, we have to match the maturity of our underlying holdings so that we have the money available to pay said maturity. It's just more of a simplistic way, thus the reason they were designed for. You put in your investment and you have access to that money every operating day of the calendar year. I'll stop there for any questions.

Thank you, sir. So you did mention that there is no risk of principal within the account.

So let me be clear. It is managed to minimize or mitigate any risk to your principal. Are there any guarantees around that? No. Is there any insurance such as in an FDIC insured savings account, which we know we have a dollar limit of? There is no such thing around an actively managed investment vehicle.

And over the course of the, and you might not have the fingertips, but over the course of the life of the 15 years now, what has been the cumulative return over the course of the 15 years?

Okay, so the accumulative return, you got to remember, we went through about a year where we were in a zero-rate environment. So the accumulated return starting from 2011 forward is roughly 1.75% because we were mostly in a zero-rate environment at that time. The underlying yield of any money market mutual fund is 1%. primarily dictated on what the Fed funds rate is set at, which we know is set at a range which is currently between three and a half percent and three and three quarters percent. And all of money market funds, regardless of their flavor, if you will, or the ocean state investment pool is dictated by the fact that the Fed wants the rate to fall within that range comfortably. So we're right really in the middle of that range, much like the Fed wants to have when they set the range. If we by chance have a Fed rate hike by end of year or early next year, which many of the people in our business are calling for, the subsequent yield in any money market fund, including the ocean investment pool, will very quickly reset to reflect the new higher range that the Fed wants those yields to fall into. And on the contrary, if we had a Fed cut, the same thing could happen in the inverse. So again, it is an actively managed fund and the rate will reflect that.

Ms. McDowell.

So you mentioned some of the municipalities, towns that are part of your group. Why don't you think there are more towns joining this investment strategy?

I would love to be able to look at my boss in the eye and say, I have the exact answer for that. Every town council has their own assumptions about risk, their own understanding about the vehicle. I only took over this relationship two years ago, and I'm tasked with the responsibility of, quote, spreading the message of this being an option available to all of the underlying townships. just haven't gotten to everybody yet. And there are a lot of accounts that are opened where they were investors. They're just not current investors. That list just reflected a shortened list of current investors. There are many other entities that do have accounts open, but just aren't currently invested.

Any other questions? I appreciate you coming from North Carolina.

It's been a wonderful trip and it's beautiful out there, I must say. And that's not flattery. I was very taken aback by the coast. It is very nice up here. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Make sure you get a lobster roll and a stuffed quahog while you're up here.

I already had one today from West.

Okay. So next up we would have Wells Fargo underneath the Yalanis management group, a private wealth management group.

Good evening. Good evening. My name is Christopher Yalanis of the Yalanis Private Wealth Management Group. Appreciate the opportunity to speak before the council this evening. I do live at 22 Prairie Avenue in Newport, although formerly of 83 Winstone Drive in Portsmouth. I was contacted in order to provide recommendations regarding the town's cash management. I think it's critical that you understand there's a strategic perspective that you have to take with regard to evaluating this issue. My team, the Alanis Private Wealth Management Group, manages money for various other organizations, including other municipalities and other Rhode Island cities and towns, all of whom have to invest based upon the purview of Rhode Island general law, including especially sections 35 and 45, which govern the establishment of the accounts and the investment of the funds. In addition, Rhode Island cities and towns are required to follow what's called a MIFA, the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, which limits your ability to invest in certain types of instruments, which include all those that were mentioned earlier, but especially rank ordering FDIC insured CDs, treasury bonds and other agency bonds and things that are guaranteed. In other words, the state of Rhode Island has said that we don't want you to take any credit risk with regard to the fact that the issuer might go under. And to the points that were just made, obviously not all risk can be taken away. Something could happen to the United States government too, and you wouldn't have your money at the end of the day. Of course, in that case, you better fill your bathtub with water and buy a shotgun. So the facts are that the current town's investment policy statement outline what kinds of things can be invested at this point in time. I do think it is important to note that for my point of view, or for my purposes, the Alanis Piper Wealth Management Group operates its practice under Wells Fargo Advisors, which is a subsidiary of Wells Fargo Corporation. We are not part of Wells Fargo Bank. It is a sister company of ours, so you're not speaking with a bank. And I simply say this for factual points of view. You've had another bank already speak this evening in the sense of TD. You've already had a discussion about the fact that it's being invested in a checking account at some percent that wasn't already discussed in detail, and that obviously there's been water under the bridge or opportunity lost. With regard to how monies could have been invested in as Mr reset earlier. At $10 million at 1% you're dealing with a lot of money that goes to support the town, so I think it's absolutely a great thing that you're focused on this now and trying to gain as much interest as you possibly can. As a brief background i've been a financial advisor since 2002 after 10 years of active duty in the Air Force. And then after retiring as a lieutenant colonel, also have a master's degree in philosophy. I taught at the Air Force Academy. I have an MBA with a concentration in accounting, taught the investment planning course at Salve Regina for several years and still teach at the Circle of Scholars. And I am a certified financial planner, which is arguably the highest certification that a financial advisor can earn. So the fact of the matter is that according to all those Rhode Island laws, the town needs to manage its short-term cash. The priorities, according to the state, are safety, liquidity, and maximizing return. Those are your parameters. At the end of the day, just like you would as an individual, and just as you have to with regard to your fiduciary obligation to the town, What you need to do is figure out at any particular moment what the needs of the town are and what the cash flow looks like, and then make sure that the investments are matched to that cash flow in order to ensure that you have liquidity, the ability to come up with cash when bills are due. Outside of that, regardless of whether it's a CD or a letter of credit or a US treasury bill or anything of the sort that meets the government's requirements or the state of Rhode Island's requirements, you simply wanna figure out what is the best possible rate. So for example, and I do wanna make a disclosure here, as all financial institutions do, we are bound by the Security and Exchange Commission. So we have to make very clear the fact that when I start bringing up numbers, Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Every number that I bring up right now is probably already different than when I pulled it off the system this afternoon. And that's exactly why we are very hesitant to be on anything that is recorded. So let me just state for anybody who listens to this at some point in the future, whether it's tomorrow or two years from now, any numbers that I talk about today are no longer in effect. So basically what you have is the range that the folks mentioned earlier. Right now on short-term treasuries, you're looking at 3.81 to 3.83. On various short term treasury bonds, obviously about 20 basis points or 0.2% higher than the investment pool that was just discussed by our friend from down south. And then we're going all the way up to about four and a half percent, for example, on two year CDs. It doesn't matter if you're the town, whether you're in a CD or treasury bond. Tell me which one pays you the highest amount and then figure it out from there. Each one of the organizations that you're hearing about from tonight get paid in a different way. Just again, a matter of fact, the TD Bank investment brokerage account. mentioned the fact that there would have to be commissions of some type, given that it's a non-discretionary account. Let me note that in addition to those commissions, you're going to have to ask your finance director how much they want to get involved every single day in having to make decisions about what investments to choose if you do decide to keep this as a brokerage account versus assigning some type of legal investment discretion to to the investment advisor to figure out what is coming due and what the best next rate should be, and then have the ability to make those decisions and invest in it immediately rather than have to wait for whatever the town's process is going to be for making further decisions. Everybody wants to go home. Let me stop there and open it up for questions.

Thank you, Chris. Anybody have questions for Chris?

No, I do have those degrees. So you would be setting up based on the town, what the best thing for us to be. And not only that, it's to be flexible also. And you'd have long-term, short-term daily access money.

That's correct. So of the groups that you spoke with tonight, the TD Investment Group and my group, we ought to all have access to the same types of U.S. Treasuries, federal agencies. We may have a different exposure to CDs because we are not a bank, because Wells Fargo Advisors is not a bank. We have access to all nationally available FDIC insured CDs. So whether it's four CDs for the million bucks or 40 CDs for the $10 million, we have access to all of it and we can pick all of it. So that might be a difference between us and the brokerage. And certainly the investment pool is constrained in whatever way they are for their investments. But yes.

So you would act like an advisor?

I would be a financial advisor. That's correct. And that's my role with regard to my relationship with other municipalities in the state. So what I do is I sit down with the finance director. We match up what the cash flow requirements are and what the liquidity requirements are.

So you look at pending bills, what we normally use monthly, weekly, and then there's some long-term fixed things that should be invested.

That's correct. Well, the finance directors are the professionals here, right? They know exactly what the cash flow needs are. So if somebody hands me $30 million to invest, then I'm going to say, tell me when you need it back. And then we're going to match the investments to exactly what happens. I mean, all too often, as was mentioned earlier, we went through a near 0% interest rate environment back in 2020. And it's taken a lot of towns and a lot of people years to grab the bull by the horns and recognize that interest rates had gone as high as 5.5% when their checking accounts were still paying 1%. we're now getting and continuing to get that message out and getting to the point where we are now, where people are continuing to make those decisions. And let me make this very clear. This is no reflection on any finance director or what's going on. These professionals have a lot of things to do. And unless their banker comes to them or unless they happen to know a financial advisor that reaches out and say, have you tried doing this yet? It's just something that unfortunately doesn't get enough attention.

Are you, like others, commission-based somewhat?

I have the ability to do either. So I can either be commission-based and charge a commission on each one of the trades, or I can be fee-based and be given the discretionary authority to act on your best interest as a fiduciary.

Okay, thank you.

And again, that will be something that you'll find will exist with any particular financial advisor.

Ms. Blank.

Thank you very much for coming. You're welcome. I feel like you all should go get a lobster roll.

That time of year.

As a financial planner, Am I correct that some key aspects of what we should look for, mastery of accounting principles, experience in the role, including budgeting, risk mitigation, understanding of regulations in Rhode Island, data-driven decisions, I feel are important, and clear communication? Is that reasonable?

I would say all those things are necessary.

And then for the record, I feel like we have all of those in leaps and bounds and in-depth knowledge in the Portsmouth finance within our current financial director. And can you help me understand how a financial planner would work differently or, assist with the financial director? Where is that? Can you help me understand where you feel the value is of having a financial planner come on? That is either fee or commission based? When we do have such great talent in the financial director?

Sure, and this is not a replacement of or in competition of with the finance director, right? The fact of the matter is, well, take it yourself, right? For your own family, you need to figure out what the best investments are that you can choose. And unless every single day you are studying CD rates, agency rates, treasury rates, evaluating what the Fed is possibly going to do, figuring out what kind of interest rate risk you have on a six month investment instead of two year, unless you're doing that all yourself, then you're not the expert in the industry on the investments that you're going to choose. And so in the same way that a finance director is busy doing other things, the financial advisor in this regard is going to be that person's right arm with regard to being that expert. So again, this is a completely complimentary role. And in that regard, what you want is a professional who works in the industry with all of those products and also offers you the either fee-based or brokerage options for being able to create the portfolio that you're going to use. Let's leave it there at that, right? Again, water under the bridge is water under the bridge.

And I'm only asking you because I want to allow everyone to speak and you've come third and you sound very knowledgeable. Golly, Bob, did I just forget what I was going to say?

Happens all the time. My grandmother would say, well, don't worry about that.

I do have it. Nope, it came back. With the magical number of $10 million, What would be the cost of if it was commission-based?

That was one of the things I skipped in order to say that we should get out of here early. As I noted here, the topics of fees and commission should be on at least a few people's minds at this point in time. The percentage of fees, let me answer your question in two ways.

Just in general, I'm not saying just in general, what would be the fee? Right. Yeah.

If we're doing a fee based account, which is usually driven on assets under management. So let's say here's $10 million, you're going to charge a fee based upon it. Those fees are going to change based upon the total amount that's being invested. And although I understand that the monies in question at this moment are a little bit north of $10 million, I also understand that there are opportunities for additional monies to also be making additional interest. And there's such a difference in fees between a $10 million or $20 million count that I think it would be fair to tell you that I can promise you absolute transparency when that number becomes clear, but you'd probably be dealing with anything from a few basis points to, you know, let's say 15 basis points, if it were a much smaller number that were being invested. Commissions in the world of bonds and treasury bonds are magical. And what I mean by that is that when you buy a CD, for example, from a bank, what's the commission? Anybody? Bueller? Yeah. You don't know, right? Because what's happening is that you're buying a particular rate. You're buying, let's say that 4% CD and any profits that are being made are being made behind the scenes. And the same thing used to happen in the world of treasury bonds. When you called up your broker and said, I want to buy a 10 year treasury was you were quoted a rate and the commissions and everything else were happening behind the scenes so that you ended up getting that rate. Uh, so to say that there was a particular commission, like a hundred dollars per bond and things of the sort, just, um, It's not relevant because it depends upon the length of the bond and things of the sort. But what we can tell you, and what we'll always tell you, and this is the reason that we work with as many municipalities as we do, is that there is a stated price, and then you are going to be quoted what that net is that you're going to get. Now, if you told me that you wanted to buy 100 shares of Apple every day, then I could give you a commission amount. We'd be talking about equities instead, but other bonds, as I said, is a little different.

Am I correct in my understanding that if we were to change commission-based, make multiple purchases, sales, the commission would be higher. Is that?

No, I wouldn't say that's necessarily true. Every advisory institution is going to create a fee-based schedule based upon what the needs of the client are. So the organization, whether- I misspoke, commission-based. Yeah, regardless of whether it's fees or commissions, the organization is going to ensure that it's getting paid enough in order to be able to be in business and do the work that it's going to do for you. So that's what's going to drive the nature of the total charges. I mean, you heard the recommendation earlier that you might end up with something that's going to mature every three months. And so you would expect a trade every three months. That's a couple of trades a year that are going to exist. Obviously, the commissions are going to have to be large enough on each one of those trades so that enough money is being made. And so there are a lot of things that go into that analysis. And really, again, I'm not trying to be evasive, but, and you should demand, bless you, absolute transparency when it comes down to the actual recommendation, but we're talking in such generalities right now that it's difficult to be exact.

Understood. Thank you.

You're welcome.

Any other questions for Chris? Chris, thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate you coming out tonight.

My pleasure.

All right. Next up, we have new business number one, which is a presentation of the disaster loan program for small businesses and nonprofits with economic losses during the February blizzard. Is he online? No. Don't see him. All right. Well, we'll table that to the next meeting and see if he wants to show up then. A motion to table a new business one. So moved.

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes 6-0. Next up, we have a presentation for a workable plan for Cogshill School for Portsmouth Youth Activity Center. Mr. Ingram.

Keith, did you put this back up in front of his name there?

No.

Please state your name and address.

I'm not advertising, Mr. Ingram, but thank you.

My name is Duncan Ingram, portrait resident since 1970. I've been overlooked and love it here. Served the school committee, town council, the building committee for Newport Hospital for two decades. So insurance, also real estate. Thank you. You all got a folder. In that folder is a front page that says a list of things. December 18th all the way down to July 23rd and today. I want to share something with you. Portsmouth Second Times. Portsmouth Times. Hmm. The indoor facilities, it does show that the town of Portsmouth is slightly deficient in some of those facilities as compared to other agencies or communities in the state. Okay. That's why I got aggressively involved in saying, let's try to make the Cog Show School program an asset to the town and not a liability. It's been 10 years I've been working on this, had a lot of fun. You all can read the paper that I gave to you. I made a folder for everyone. But I'm going to go to the... Mr. Ring, can you see me?

Just pull the microphone over a little bit closer. I'm sorry. Folks at home can hear you. Thank you, sir.

Okay. I'm going back here to the...

Perfect.

Towards the end here. The letter that I wrote. And in there... It mentions export technologies. I met with Peter Solinsky today, Solinger. He met with the building director, public works here. He owns export technology. It's the only licensed certified bias solution made in the country. Yale University is the only one that lets them use it. So when I make this comment in here about certain things, my proposal... Bear in mind, I know a heck of a lot about export technology. I got a relative in Washington, DC, who is the largest distributor user of that in our country. So I know a heck of a lot more than the average person from Portsmouth, Rhode Island or Providence. And having been on the building committee of Newport Hospital for two decades, I guess, It seems a long time ago. I know a little bit, a lot about this stuff. Okay. Workable plan for the Cogswell School. Okay. Sell building, not land, to a Portsmouth Youth Activity Center, an LLC, a nonprofit 501c3 organization for a dollar. Town doesn't own it now. It's owned by Portsmouth Youth Activity Center, a nonprofit organization run by residents of the town. Most of the people didn't want to be here tonight to go through this. All right, but I'm here, and I will not be the president. I'll serve as an advisor, but at 82 years old, there are a lot of younger people sharper than I that feel exactly the same way. Excuse me. Lease the land of Portsmouth Youth Activities, LLC, for $1. Town of Portsmouth has a legal right to buy back building for $1. So the legality is gone. You have the right to buy it back, $1. Sakana Times article, see attached. It is read about the activities. Our town needs more youth activities, academic and social. Why are we dropping behind the rest of the country on our scores, on our SAT and ACT scores? Why? Because we're not paying attention to that item as a town council and as a town, and more importantly, as senior citizens who have been through it. Okay, second time's wrong. Glen Manor House success. I'll get through this when I show you a minute. Glen Manor House, lovely place. A lot of money's been spent there. How many organizations meet there? Cheerleaders, Pop Warner, Little League, youth football, hockey, all the other cheerleaders, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, do they all meet there? No one meets there. For community support to make our community stronger, the community activities have to know how to bond and be together and talk, because that's what makes towns and activities stronger. I know what I'm talking about all over this country. We don't have that right now. Turning down that cogshell building and having still no place for youth to be together is nuts. Excuse my swearing. Immensely more economical for the town to do this. Increased property values. No question about it. No question about it. A youth activity center like I'm proposing in our town will increase property values absolutely across the board. Terrific community support. All the people support it. Mold mildew mitigation inspection, July 22nd. By Peter Sollinger, Export Life Sciences. He didn't even want to go in the building. He'd been in there twice before. All right. Number one person in our country. Personal friend. And the other big person in that company is a relative of mine. So do I trust him? Yes, I do. I want you to trust me when I say that. I may be wrong. If I'm wrong, I apologize. But I do trust what they're telling me. Export Technology, Lifespan's company. You can read all that, please. Easy cleanse. My presentation no longer than 30 minutes, but I see in the note here it says 10. What I'm suggesting is not to be, and a lot of people, oh yeah, one other thing here, excuse me. This came in to me after I submitted the letter for this meeting. Presentation for Cocktail School. This is by the, I had nothing to do with this. All right, came in from the group in our town. Purchased building from the town for a dollar with buyback clause for one dollar, non-completion or unsatisfactory performance. Leased land for a dollar for up to 99 years. Established Portsmouth Youth Athletic Association. All right, established board and bank account. secure donations for either services or monetary commitment, mold remediation, asbestos removal or encapsulation, open with limited services to start, and location for association meetings in the individual committees and teams while commencing on renovation and upgrades to the building. If two rooms were cleaned, and I could have that done in a week, It'd be cleaner than this room in here. Debrief. One week. Is it better having two rooms than having none for 10 years? Having none when trying to do this for 10 years. Sound like a broken record. I hope I'm still around in 10 years. You never know. Fully privately funded and operated. That's what they're suggesting. Pros, base of operations for all youth organizations. This is not me writing this now. I had no idea this was coming. Community center for the whole town. No cost to taxpayers, eliminates an eyesore, saves money for the town, unmeasurable benefit for the youth of the town. And that is an understatement. That's an understatement. Having the president of Bryant University tell me how... The performance of our children going to college today, especially in this state, is down. All right? Why? Because we're not providing the activities. Now, I will say that, Matthew, and you see the diagram of the building there? I think you have it. Didn't they get a copy of the building there? And part of it, there are two spare rooms. All right? And those two spare rooms could be rented out to somebody. My suggestion would be, just mine, rent it out to Mathasium. I guarantee you they'll double their amount of business down in that building than they are where they are right now. And that's a spectacular performance place. They do an unbelievable job, math-wise, our children, those that go there. Next to it would be The other office, the other space, would be for a nutrition center. People would buy drinks, no Cokes or that kind of stuff, just nutrition for bodybuilding and performance. Okay? Yeah, I had a company, World Sports Nutrition. Boston College, Naval Academy, Harvard, Alabama. A lot of colleges had me lecture to them on this when they had masters and doctorates there. Why? Because... Oh, I'm sorry, I pushed the wrong button. So I know a little bit about it. I've forgotten a lot about it. But putting an activity like this, utilizing that facility for our town, I promise you, will benefit everybody in this town. And reach out to the community. Like the field house there. One of my neighbors wrote a check for almost $500,000 for that. You don't know who it is? They won't let you know. People want to give back, all right, to make our town better. And having that school system like that, a $15 million building, 12 million, whatever the hell it is, $15 million, sit like it is right now for 10 years, and I'm not dumping on anybody, but that was a bad decision. Okay? Today, it could be very functional, and I guarantee you, our scores and the performance of our children would be better. Cons. There are none. If anyone can think of one, please say so. So anyway, thank you for your time. How we structure this, but the philosophy is let the Portsmouth Youth Activities Association, the 501c3, make the decisions to make it a better facility. The people in town like us that want to give back, all right, there's the smart people, contractors, like the list of contractors, that goes back 10 years ago. Some of these guys aren't even in business right now. But the new list of people now, if I did it now, I'd probably lined up 100 of them. Just asking, would you like to participate? Would you like to give back to put windows in? Could you come on weekends and repair some of the roof damages? And guess what? A flyer goes out to town. XYZ contractors donating their time to make the cog skill school better. What kind of better advertising could a contractor do than that? None. So I'm saying, let's provide an opportunity for our town to be better, our children, all right? And I'm nuts on this stuff. One quick little saying about the Mathasium down there. I have nothing to do with Doug Stearns. I funded an SAT program for the freshman football team. 10 years ago, 12, more than that. Jesus, 12 years ago. Superintendent of schools calls me in. Duncan, what are you doing? I said, what do you mean? You're having the kids tutored. I said, yes. Mathesium is having the freshman team tutored. Freshman for the SAT college boards. She shouldn't be doing that. That's not your job. I said, Sue, reach out to the community. People want to give back. I said, Dr. Nadling, technical director of Newark has been begging to have... These engineers come out here and talk about how an airplane flies or how a submarine goes under the water. Never been a submarine or underwater instrument ever designed in our country that has not gone through Newark. A lot of engineers at Raytheon live in Portsmouth, want to give back. Talk to elementary kids, get an interest in that kind of stuff. No, not your business. I said, we'll talk about this later, Sue. I don't want you doing it. I said, don't take me on. You'll regret it. So she didn't. Three years later, I get a call from Mike Lenny, director of Athletics, state of Rhode Island. who used to be at Portsmouth. Duncan, you got a minute? Let me show you something. What's this? This is the performance of all the sports teams in the state. Oh, really? Look at what Portsmouth do. We're number one in the state. Oh, really? Where are we normally? We're usually upper quarter. Upper quarter. Number one in the state. Oh, really? Look at that. Yeah. See, I think it's higher than St. George's and the Abbey also. That freshman group. Why? Because Dr. Stearns, that's his business. He doesn't get paid if he's not successful. And when we met there, I said to the kids, we're all teammates. I said, pay attention to Dr. Stearns. You'll never regret it because somewhere in your life, you have to have a math test. Whether you're going to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, whether you want to work for the town of Portsmouth, whether you want to work for the state of Rhode Island, whether you want to be an engineer. chemists, whatever you want to be. Somewhere, you have to take a test that has math in it. And the higher you score, all other things being equal, all right? If you're higher in that, you have a better chance of getting that job with that opportunity. When you brainwash kids as freshmen or eighth grade or lower about that kind of mentality, do you think they'll study harder in school? I guarantee it. I guarantee it. So thank you for your time. I've been on this for 10 years. I don't have many more years left of energy, but I love torturing Keith. Very close with his parents. I like torturing him when he's younger. I can't do it now because he'll hit me. I can't take the physical abuse. But anyway, thank you for your time. This project, I would certainly hope that we can get on track and work together to make it better for our town and our children. And as I say, everything I've said, I have no kids in town, no relatives in town. And this is purely because the town has been great to my wife, Jeannie, and myself and to our children. And I believe in giving back. And I think that's what it's all about. So I want these on every door here, please.

Don't go too far. I'm sure there are questions. I am going to state the same thing I've stated to you for the past three weeks. This is not a business plan. It's an idea. I asked you to bring a business plan.

I'm not doing that.

Okay, then I'll give it as a no vote. There is a part-time hodgepodge of contractors is not going to fix that building.

I didn't say that. I never said that.

Yes, you did.

No, I did not.

You just said you would have somebody come by on the weekends and fix a roof or a couple windows.

I didn't say that's the only contractors. I said some will want to do that, Keith. Don't say what I say. That's lying. Don't do that. I didn't say that to you.

Okay. All right? Go ahead. You did, but okay.

I said that people want to give back. Let them do it if they want to put carpets in or something like that. They want to clean the windows or they want to clean the walls. If they want to do it, fine. They don't have to do it. No, please.

That's a question.

What business plan are you actually looking for?

I want a structured... Something structured. There's nothing in here. I've talked to three of these contractors that are on this list. All have said, I don't want anything to do with it.

That's 15 years ago. They're old. Some of them are still in business. Some aren't. They're not old. They're all in business. I'm not going to argue with you, Keith. I'm old, but I'll bet my car against yours that I'll have a lot more lined up.

At least you're going with your car. You tried to give away genies twice.

Listen, all I'm saying is there's no risk to the town at all, all right, for a potential of a spectacular result. And I think if you think you can do it because you're 10 years, you're doing your logic and it hasn't worked. All right. And I listened to you. I've talked to you. I've been at your home and I respect all of you for serving. I really do because I've been in that position myself. I do. But for gosh sakes, the town needs that facility. All right. Tearing it down and putting a little league field there. And I'm all for a little league. I'm all for all sports. That is ridiculous. And that is almost financially irresponsible. And I'd accept your resignation if you want to promote that.

So can we possibly table it or see if you can come back with a business plan and people that are willing and try to move forward?

Let's start with some of the basics. We still don't know if the magic elixir is going to work. The gentleman was supposed to come by last week. He came into DPW's office, Mr. Ingram excused himself, and the guy left. He's not here to give a presentation to say, yeah, I can tell you that the mold and mildew is going to be gone.

Who's this? I mean, Peter Sollinger?

Whoever came by last week and left.

He was in my office today.

Okay. Where is he tonight? Mr. Ingram, I...

Whatever. Trust someone else, Keith. Okay. Seriously. If you want someone else to do a better job, fine. I'm telling you, the cost of the mold and mitigation, all right, it's going to cost the town nothing. All right.

But we don't know if the mold and mitigation is going to work. I do know it's going to work.

Listen, if it doesn't work, it doesn't cost you anything, then cancel the thing and take the building back. How does that sound?

So that's, I think, what I want to do, you know, is if we can table it and have Mr. Duncan come back with that person, with Peter, and see if this is something that is...

Okay, but there's still a full business plan. The school is beyond just mold and mildew. It needs windows. It needs siding. It needs to be ADA compliant. It needs plumbing upgrades. It needs electrical upgrades. It's not just. And what have you done in the last 10 years? Nothing. Nothing. That's right. Shame on you. There should be a new community center built someplace. I have told you, as we've had conversations, I don't agree with the, I don't disagree with the idea. I disagree with the location and that building.

Look at, you see that one page there, the, uh, the, the over the, the aerial one, the photo in there and you, you all see the photo, the trees down, taking the trees down. That's parking in the front with a big sign. Portsmouth Youth Activity Center. All right. Big sign. No trees in the front. They can see the nice building there. I guarantee you that'll help this town. All right. Because what other town has any kind of facility like that? None.

I don't disagree with you about the facility. I disagree with you about the building. As somebody who graduated from that wonderful building way back in 1980, the last class to get out of Cockshill, still have a dent in my nose from that school. I would love to see it saved.

If you didn't have that in your nose, you wouldn't be as tough as you are today. You learned something from that.

I did. Don't lean over when Andrew Phelps has a dictionary over your head.

Okay. I'm here. If you don't want me, I'll stop. If you got someone having a better idea, fine. I know there's a community activity, all right? Some people you know that won't even talk to you about it, all right? And I say this politely, that reach out to the community. No political issue at all is how do we make our community better. And if people want to give back, the mold and mildew mitigation issue, that is not even an issue. All right, the asbestos is primarily in the furnace room. All right, I've been speculating twice with five contractors. All right, so I'm not going to argue about it. Trust a group of people that want to do it. And that's a full, and that's what I'm suggesting. If you don't want to trust me, then don't trust me. If you want to trust someone else that you know better, fine.

Have all those people call me. All those people who are afraid to call me, tell them to pick up the phone and call me. I'd love to have a discussion with them.

You don't have the ability to answer them. Yes. You've never been in construction.

Yes, I have.

No, you haven't.

Okay. I design systems every day.

I'm happy to get hit by them, you know, because, you know, I'm not as sensitive as it used to be. Kidding aside, I'm just joking with you, Keith. Whatever you do is fine. To say that that facility is the proposal, people want to make it work. If they make it work for only two rooms and the rest of the place is not occupiable, is that better than having something there? Or four rooms?

You can't do that. It's all or nothing.

That's not true.

Okay.

Talk to the building inspector now and it's not true.

Ms. Blank, do you have a question?

That's not true, Keith. Don't say that. Please don't use that as logic. If you isolate a room and nothing, you can't get in the other part of the building, you can use that. So if we can use two to four or six rooms, fine. Don't have to use the whole place. It's going to take time for some of that. The mold and mildew will be out momentarily. I'm not worried about that issue. All right. You have to take my word on that one.

Yes, Mike.

Thank you. You've quite a few statements. You've stated you want to give back. Have you reached out to the current school department or youth activities to volunteer?

Who, me? Who? Am I?

You who have said you want to give back.

I am helping right now. I'm here at night. Is that what you mean?

No, the question was, have you reached out and have you done volunteer work within the school department?

I served in the school committee for many, many years. And yeah, the field house right now there would not be there if it weren't for me. Okay. You don't need to go into details.

Is that the significant?

No.

Thank you.

You don't need to go into those details. Look at,

I'm not done speaking.

I'm sorry. I apologize.

I have so many things here. So Mathanasium is already in town and has a great location, one where I do have children that go to, and I would rather pull in and out of that location currently. than at the Cogshall School location. And there are groups that meet at the Common Fence Point Community Center, where you had stated that there's no place in town for groups to meet at. One of my concerns that we are told not to worry about is your company that does the mold and mildew mitigation that you have stated that you have both a relative and a friend that works at it.

A militant? A what? Family member and a friend.

No. Doesn't work for them. Has done business with them.

One of the statements as well was that there's not enough locations for youth sports in town. I feel is very inaccurate. When I looked up the Porth Youth Activity Center LLC that was outlined in the documentation, that is not established.

No, not yet. I've said that. No, I know that.

So there is a lot of uncertainty of who would be behind that and what their premise would be and direction.

I understand what you're saying. I agree what you're saying. That's why it has in there. If you don't like what's going on for $1, for $1, you get it all back. All right. So there's not a problem. That's a protection for the town.

I feel overall there's a lack of ability to acknowledge blind spots in knowledge and overall town needs. And the confrontations are not an attitude I feel that would be beneficial to the youth of our town. I feel that the miss of the whole cost of mitigation, the mold, mildew, and asbestos would love for those costs to be zero, but recognize that it absolutely won't be to get that in addition to all the other upgrades that are needed to make the Cogshell School usable and ADA compliant. And there are other large sports complex very close by that could not compete. And we have even training centers within town and large sports complex that are utilized all the time, very close by.

Okay.

I don't feel this in my opinion, Mr. President, I don't feel this is a good use of the conch shell school.

Thank you, Ms. Blake.

I appreciate you putting together the data and information and providing your opinion on it.

I respect your position. I respect you using your brain to make the best decision you can. All right. Do I agree with what you're saying? Absolutely not. But you know, The bottom line is I want to see our youth, our children, do better tomorrow than they're doing today. Okay? And I haven't seen you make a proposal for doing any of that. So I'd like to make that proposal, and I guarantee you, I will guarantee you there will be a positive result for our children in this town. That I guarantee you.

And I can guarantee you that there's not a person in this room that doesn't want to have our children do better tomorrow than they are doing today.

I agree. I agree, pal.

Any other questions for Mr. Ringham? Thank you, sir, for your presentation.

Call me anytime. As I say, this is not business for me. I have nothing to do with it business-wise. I'm out of business. I sold all my businesses, so it has nothing to do with business. But being able to have two rooms here to pay rent, productively rent, and having, most importantly, is having a meeting group area, a group of science, soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, baseball, football, all the different activities, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts in one room, all right? So they could communicate with each other, because it's not happening right now in our town.

Yeah, get back to the microphone, sir. Back to the microphone so folks at home can hear you. When you walk away from the microphone, they can't hear you.

I'm sorry. Sorry, folks. Okay. If all the things I've talked about, the most important part of it was having a place for the whole town, youth activities to communicate. Southern Island Park and Southern Portsmouth, Sandy Point, Westside, all over. That's important.

I recognize that you feel that they don't communicate. I absolutely know that they do, though.

All I hear is complaints. I heard just this morning from one of the managers, one of the activities. They're bitching about one of the other activities. I said, yeah, I couldn't, I didn't participate at all. That was this morning. And whatever, that's not the point. If they're together, I guarantee you they'll share ideas. They'll share good ideas, all right? And that's what's important because they all love their families and they want to make it, provide an opportunity for them to communicate and to congregate. I guarantee you we'll end up with a better result. As far as that building is concerned, if it's turned over, and a 501c3 and whatever the town wants to continue spending what they've been spending so far insurance or whatever it may be continue doing that all right or whatever you're going to do if you're going to spend six hundred thousand dollars to tear the building down and put a little league field up all right maybe that would be something worthwhile to consider too on that note thank you for your time keith thank you mr ingham sorry appreciate it call me anytime

Next up we have correspondence. Ms. McDowell, sure.

We have a grant, right? What's the status of that grant? Any update on that?

It's a congressionally directed spending grant that Congressman Amo has forwarded for approval. We won't know until the federal budget gets passed.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you. Thank you, sir.

One comment about the grant. A grant to tear down a $14 million building, all right, where my suggestion and the community's suggestion, it's not just me, that letter, I had no ideas coming from those people, all right, to make it better for our children all right as compared to not having a facility like that i mean i would i would be upset if 500 000 was given to our town all right for tearing it down all right that i that would be wrong i just that's personally i don't get too personally involved but in that case i would be any other questions out here thank you sir thank you

Correspondence. Motion to receive and place on file. Are there any items? Anybody else? That's really nothing. So moved.

Second.

Exciting on it. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes six to zero. Future meetings, August 11th, we'll be meeting. That'll be Tuesday after the Victory Day holiday, August 24th, September 14th, and September 21st, unless there's any other items we need.

Okay, I just have one question before we conclude. Is there a status? Are we going to be having a bond for the school?

Yes.

On this, on the general election?

Yes.

Okay. I just thought that we had to approve it before it was in April. So that sufficed?

Was it April or March? I don't remember what that is.

That sufficed?

Yeah. So, I mean, the process in a nutshell is the council approved the referendum that was forwarded to the House and the Senate, the House and the Senate, uh, approved those, legislation was passed. Both bills are exactly equal. The language for the bond comes directly from that legislation as well as the explanation to the voters. That has been prepared to be reviewed by the canvassing authority. They will review that at their next meeting. Once they have approved that, it will go to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State will approve the ballot. Then a sample ballot will be prepared for the public There's really nothing for the council to do until the vote, and then after the vote, then the council, parallel to this, the council will review whatever has been forwarded to them by the school committee, which will receive the recommendation from the school building committee as to what the projects are, what the prices are gonna be, and what the prioritization is. And then the Congress, the committee uh the council rather uh will decide uh what priorities will be accepted uh what the total price will be uh that'll get bonded and then what the structure of those that bond or bonds will be over the course of that capital project capital projects or projects projects yes exactly

Keith, may I ask a question? Could the bond be done with the plan that we pursued, the Portrait of Youth Activity Center?

No. This is a school-directed bond specifically for refurbishing and rehabbing the schools.

All the schools?

Well, in this case, mostly the middle school.

Yeah, okay.

All right. Well, two major projects are a roof at the middle school and a potential redesign of the eighth grade wing.

Yeah. I'm just saying for the Cogshell project, whatever kind of federal funds that are available for that and the projected use of that facility, if it's available, we should take a look at that. You should. You know what I'm saying?

Because that's different than the bond discussion we're having now.

Okay, the bond to tear it down, I mean, politically.

We're not bonding to tear down Cogshall.

Okay, good, good, good, good.

Bond's discussion is specifically for projects. Like I said, two major ones. Okay, great, great, great. Eighth grade wing and a roof at the middle school.

Let's find a solution for the Cogshall because I know there's a solution, all right?

Have your people call my people, not you, your people.

They don't want to. Because that's a mistake. You know why? They're going to call me. There you go. They need to talk someone over, Keith.

I just have one more question for Mr. Rayner then. So does the same process hold true for the nonpartisan item on the... Yeah, that will also be vetted by the canvassing authority at their next meeting.

So both of them will go to the Secretary of State at the same time.

Thank you.

We're not going to go far afield here, Mr. Grieve. It's not on the agenda, but you can ask a question.

Tom Grieve, 110th Air Drive. You can put things on the agenda for discussion, and it's all I'm going to do. But I just looked at the bond, and it's a $41 million bond. Up to $41 million. Yes. We know what happened last time. We don't know what projects this is going to cover. We don't know what the debt service is going to be. We've seen no financial analysis of this. We have no idea how much the state is providing of this. I don't see how this can possibly go on the ballot without your approval and the knowledge of what the projects are and what it's going to cost, actually going to cost the residents. I think I think this To put this on the ballot without a discussion and approval by the council, to me, is a dereliction of duty.

Thank you, Mr. Grebe. is there a motion to adjourn don't move as president yeah sec before you vote there's a correction on future meetings uh the last one there is september 28th sorry yes 28th that would be two weeks after yes thank you you're in trouble mandy all right motion to adjourn all those in favor