Town Council - Regular Meeting

All right, folks. We're going to uh we're going to we have to wait till 6:30, but we can do the town updates and we can do we can go right up to public forum. So, we're going to do what we can do at this at this time and then I don't know how long the um the updates will take. Maybe 10 or 15 minutes. I'm not sure. But so we may have to wait after, you know, from 6:15ish, 6:20ish to 6:30 before we can start the regular meeting. But we're going to get done what we can get done now. Okay. Okay. Uh, vice president motion recess executive session, reconvene in open session. Second. All in favor?

I. Motion to approve the amended and re restated development agreement with Middletown Commons Town Center LLC and to authorize the town administrator to sign the agreement and to request the town clerk to schedule two public hearings before the town council on the proposed zoning code and comprehensive community plan amendments. Second. Is there any discussion? No. Hearing none. All in favor? I I oppose. Okay. Motion to seal the executive session minutes pursuant to section 42467 of Rhode Island general Law. Second. All in favor?

I. Okay. So, what we just did is we talked about a couple things in executive session and we talked about um you know, a lot of things have transpired with West Main Road since um the initial agreement. Um, so we have an amended agreement now, which I'm going to turn over to the solicitor to give out the details because we think it's important that those details come out immediately. Okay. Um, there's also a press release that's going to come out immediately. Um, and the amended agreement will be posted on the town's website. Okay. So, Mr. Rean,

thank you. Um, so as the council president mentioned, the council has entered into a revised development agreement for the redevelopment of the town owned property uh on West Main Road. Uh, as many of you know, uh, following public hearings that took place, uh, last fall, uh, the town began a process of, uh, further discussions with the developer based on the input received from the public at those hearings.

Hey, Pete. and uh and primarily uh based on the public support for keeping the recreation complex including Potsy Field in its current location rather than moving it to the north of the site as has been proposed. Um and the council has reached an agreement for revised development in which the recreation complex will remain uh where it is currently located without that 3.86 86 par acre parcel will remain in its current location and the town has entered into a revised development agreement with the developer uh which will be limited to the 3.24 acre parcel at the corner of West Main Road and Codington Highway. Uh that development will consist which is the site of the former Navy Lodge Hotel which the town purchased in 2018. project will consist of 144 room hotel uh that was previously proposed for that corner uh along with the landscape public park of at least 3,000 square ft on the corner which was part of the proposed zoning overlay. Uh any other uses including the bank and other mixeduse components that had previously been proposed for that site are not part of the project. So it would be simply limited to a hotel on that 3.24 24 acre parcel and the town will separately begin a process of uh planning for the redevelopment of the property to the north. Uh but is expected that any development is going to include uh housing as a component of that redevelopment. Uh the council uh is going to uh hold new public hearings on the proposed zoning overlay for the area which has been revised as part of this

process. Um and uh we expect that those hearings may take place during June. There'll be at least two public hearings in front of the town council to uh reconsider uh the proposed zoning and comprehensive plan amendments for this property. And as the council president mentioned, that agreement will be uh available online which includes a a plan showing the the new limited scope of the development on the old former Navy Lodge parcel at the corner of Codington and West Main Road.

Okay. So, Possy Field stays. The recreational complex stays. Um we don't want to We heard lot heard people loud and clear. Obviously a lot of people were upset about what was going to happen there and so um you know we had approached the developer some other things transpired as well but we approached developer and said hey look you know we're not going to we're not going to do that would you be you know we're okay with potentially something on the corner but that's it. Um so PYfield will stay um as the solicitor said at some point in time where the current library in JFK is you know we may entertain some housing there potential housing there um that's that's to be seen yet but that's that's what the conversation is. So uh we wanted to get it right out there immediately because a lot of times when things happen in executive session because that's where negotiations go. they go to executive session and then when it comes out, if you don't say anything, you you you got to learn lessons. When you don't learn lessons, that's an issue. If you don't say anything and be clear as you can about it, um the details, um that that's problematic. Um, so we want to make sure that that, you know, we just took the vote maybe 20 minutes ago and uh we want to make sure that we get the press release out and we want to make sure that we um we let the public know as soon as possible. So within 20 minutes it's out and um transparent. So whether people agree with that or not, I don't that remains to be seen, but certainly it's a I personally think it's a really good compromise. Um the fields stay um and uh the wreck complex stays and right now even the north of that stays the way it is. Um um and it also at the same time uh gives the town um um additional revenue which is

important with the hotel tax, the meals tax and the ground lease um that type of stuff. So, Peter, can we can talk about the the Can we talk about the um the uh projected amount? Uh that's Yes. Yeah, you can. And that'll be

right right now. It's just projected, but it's about uh about roughly about and it's projected. It's not a hard number, uh but it's projected about $785,000 in revenue a year. Um once they get going on the project, if it gets approved, the overlay gets approved, they have 32 months to get a CO and um whether they get the CO or not in 32 months, that's when the rent begins. And then every every 5 years there's uh an additional 2.5% increase. Um, so per per year.

So it's 12 or 12 and a half percent whatever it is every five years. Um, so that's that's where we're at. We want to make sure we got that out as uh as quick as possible. And and that that number, just to be clear, that number of roughly 785,000 includes initial ground rent of 175,000 plus anticipated real estate taxes, tangible taxes, and and hotel room and beverage taxes. And that's that comes up to that.

What's also important to note is um Peter, correct me if I have the percentage wrong, but the 3.24 24 acres where the potential hotel would go is 23 or 27% of the previous the that the acreage represented about 2 27% of the overall developable land area under the prior agreement. The rent received is actually 41% of what was going to be received under the prior agreement. So,

so, okay. Well, we just wanted to make sure that got out there and got out there as quick as possible. Okay. Um Okay. So, let's move on to uh town updates. Um number two, the town administrator will provide an update on a town projects, b school building project, and c library building project. Motion to begin the town project, school building project, and library building project update. Second. All in favor? I I excellent facilities. How we doing today, director? Mr. Collins, how are you, sir? I'm good. I'm good. So, we we'll start off with the library.

Um Allberg should have a final GMP for you by early May. Um this is kind of due with the delay of the approval pro process from they've come back. they've wanted to make some revisions. So, we're kind of still juggling some some things around. We're hoping by early May, we have the GMP in front of you. Midm May we start construction, but again, the project is pushed down the line five months. Even with that being said though, we continue to hold a line on the budget. So, while the project is not on time anymore, it continues to be on budget, but it's not on time because of the town's accord. It's a it's not it got delayed because of the US process

we submitted. We submitted the plans in November. It is now April and we have not got approval yet. Part of the problem is too when you know you've gone through this with the school, you submit schematic designs and that's normally when changes are made to the design. So when you get into design development construction documents, things are locked in. Well, we're in CD and now they're asking us to make changes which kind of makes us juggle the GMP numbers. And again, we're we're holding the line on the budget. It's just things are kind of up in the air a little bit right now, but that's kind of what played out there. Okay. All set with that. Yes, sir.

Um the Valley Elementary complex Bentley has continued working on the permitting process. We're still waiting approval from Newport Water to change the location of the water man. Construction of the project is LA um logically remains the same as last month. Um the school department has assem assembled an elementary team that is engaging in the furniture selection process now for the school. So um we'll continue doing that till um the midsummer early fall we'll go out to bid for the furniture package for that complex. The two playgrounds we're going to put on site there one for two to three one to four to five that each sit on both sides of the greenhouse will follow that same schedule. We'll be putting those out to bid in the early fall. Um the process of packing and removing items um is starting now. So there's this to do this correctly and so we're kind of doing it efficiently. It needs to be kind of done in waves. This is not just about packing and moving to the high school cuz we need to clear the deck there and make it ready for the elementary school to come in. So we need to start identifying items right now that are not going to the new school and are not staying there. So that is what we're doing right now. We're working on removing them. So hopefully we're kind of starting to clear the deck a little bit so we're in a better position um next summer to get that building ready for elementary school occupancy. Any questions there? Okay. Um high school middle school site has been cleared of snow. Construction back in full swings. Temporary tops are back up. We started pouring floors again. Site work is also started back up with exterior utilities, manholes, slab aggregate is being placed. Structural te steel was completed with the topping and off ceremony. Working on steel decking, the roofs picked back up with insulation and top sheet. We're working from the high school side towards the middle school side. Um they've also started

doing layout for interior framing, fireproof spray, mechanical, electrical, and third party testing is also in progress. this school. We've also started with the furniture selection process and we've assembled two teams. We've assembled a middle school team and a high school team that's working with the vendor to select the furniture. Um for a little less than a year now, we've been building a structural building. Now is when we build the school. Now is when we impact education and that's what this process is about because it's extremely important. I will tell you this, there is no room uh well anything that's being done in that building from the roof all the way down to the mechanical room on the lower level that the dollar has a bigger value than than in the classroom. That's where it really counts because that's where we impact education. So this is an important process that's playing out right now. Um and we're doing that on both the high school, middle school, and the elementary school. And the best part of that is the teacher staff, the people that are actually using that space are actively involved leading the narrative as to what those rooms should look like.

All right. So in that same line of thinking, um the Vampire Foundation hired a consultant to um help them develop, fund and implement a CTO prayer program on Aquidnick Island for welding and um fabrication, metal fabrication. So they went around and they approached they approached Middletown because the pro you know for the position we are in the building honestly would have been nice if it happened a little earlier on there but it happened. So they approached the school department. The school department applied for a grant for a design only at this point. Um we got the nod that was going to be approved. So what we're doing now is we're asking the design team to come up with a proposal that'll go back. We'll submit that to Van Beern and then you know um it'll go through the process of the three different committees we have building school committee and town council. Ideally, I would have liked to been making this presentation to you next month when I had more facts and everything, but some kind of things fell out of the can a little early and the last thing I wanted you to do was hear it and I'm I'm standing in front of you and not mentioning it. And I would imagine next meeting or the one after superintendent will be in front of you talking about the benefits of implement implementing a program like this that could be a feeder for EB sorry electric boat and you know how that's going to play out. They're also interested in funding the development of it. the the construction of it and even carrying it on maybe into some type of night classes and everything like that. But again, everything's just starting to play out right now. So, I don't really have like a lot of like solid information to give you, but I just kind of wanted you to make aware you may make you aware of that before you kind of heard it before it actually got presented to you in the formal matter that it should be. But again, that's that's the process, right, of now defining the school, what is going to be in those spaces. We might have had an area that had this name on the door, but that changes as things go.

So, we're doing this all within the parameters of the building and the building construction project, but now we're redefining it to make sure that um you know, the money we're investing is not just going towards a building, it's going towards making an impact on education. Excellent. So, I I just had a question about the furniture. So, initially when we went to when we looked at um the uh Sorus Junior Senior High School um and then we went to um August

Weimoth, but in Sus in in their new building, I think it's a couple years old at best, they had a lot of furniture that moved. So, you were able is this the type of furniture we're talking about? So, as as classrooms change and education changes over time, that classroom's not your typical cells and bells like we have now where it can be turned into something else, some type of lab or something like that.

We're not doing cells and bells. We want to make sure it's flexible furniture. And I don't want to get off in too too much, but the furniture should represent the different modalities the teachers want to use when they go in and they want a different teaching style, pair tutoring, independent study. There's 19 of them. I don't want to rattle them off to you. that setting that setting can be adopted for anything that they want to do there. And being flexible and movable is part of that and which is why we kind of when I first got here my first thing was to start demoing some of this stuff.

Honestly, normally when I my thing, my preference is I'm doing this a year ahead of time and we're doing a whole year with PD and having the teachers develop this. You can't just throw a chair in a classroom and expect someone to sit on say it's going to work. You got to let them work with it. They got to mix and match stuff. if you want the students input and we've got some great feedback from the students as far as surveys what they like what they don't like um the teachers in the um at GA on the lower level have taken this off and ran with it you should see some of the the surveys they've done with the children as to what they like what they don't like all these other things so all that data will help us create better decisions as to what's gets implemented in the school but now that's not and I'm not slighting the design team that's not in their hands anymore it's in the school department's hands They're going to dictate, right? They're going to say, "This is what we want in the thing." I think all too often you hire these people, they come in and design your building, and then they walk away, and it's not really what you want. So, this is where this is where the school department puts their impact and and their stamp on the project.

Excellent. Okay. Have a question, Dennis. Thank you for the update. And, um, you know, I love that you're hearing about the CTO. I think that's great. One of the things I was hoping we'd be able to do within the school is to offer young young folks to come back to the school and maybe learn a trade. You know, maybe they leave and they go try something after they get out of high school and they realize, hey, maybe that's not for me. And I maybe want to come back and, you know, learn how to weld and and so that would be something that I would hope we might be able to do in the evening to utilize that school. And would the building would would it the building the way it's being designed right now facilitate that to do classes in the evening? We

Janice, can you speak into the mic? I'm sure. Yes. We I'm getting the the notice from Thank you. Okay. We've isolated the area where the wood shop was going to be as a great location for this space. I can tell you everything you just mentioned are all things that are being discussed right now, but it's so prematur it's it's just in the talking stage right now where I you know in a month we'll probably be in a better position where the superintendent can talk come up and talk about exactly what needs to be played out. But um night sessions with adults and mentoring and bringing people back that's all part of the conversation.

That would be great. So what we're doing right now is we're taking that I think it was 2900 ft² 3,000 ft² that was going to be the wood shop and we're looking to that to change that over to a welding which has some challenges. It's different exhaust, different fire suppression, storage of tanks, all these other things that need to happen but we're starting to engage right now. We're just in the very early stages of that. Okay, great. Yeah.

And are they reaching out to Newport in regards to their CTO programs that they have so that we're not overlapping? I would that's that's probably as far as I'm going to go with this right now. So, there are a lot of things being discussed. I just don't want to get get out over the skis right now, but everything's being looked at. It's look, ideally, you don't want to make changes this late in a project, but it's an unbelievable opportunity. It's one there's no way we're going to pass up. So, we're we're working on that right now. Great. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Any further questions? Thank you, Mr. Collins. Welcome. Appreciate it. So before we start, um, we can't start till 6:30. So we have about seven or eight minutes that we have to just recess until then. Okay, that's the way it's advertised.

Motion recess. What? Hang on. Sean was sound updates. Say something. Project up. I have a couple items just right on. Oh, let's go. Maybe we don't have to stop.

Uh, the first just an update on Boulevard paving. So, with winter finally over and the spring rains hopefully over, or at least being lesser of an event, uh, East Coast construction is remobilized, we expect four weeks to finish the, uh, under drains on the road to be completed. And at the end of the four weeks, we should be putting we should grind and reclaim the area and get everything back in a binder. Uh, so that that we're hoping that that's the timeline as of this morning from the public works director. Uh we are going out to bid for the purgatory sidewalks. Those will be going out to bid here shortly. Um I think we had one comment to clear from uh DOT. Uh once that goes out to bid, the council would award the contract. Uh the construction schedule would basically start in fall of 2026 and then there would be work in the spring of 27 and fall of 27 to complete the entire project. So uh we finally have that moving forward. And then the last piece, the East Main Road housing project. We do have a a proposal uh in from a developer. Uh we are going to meet with that developer. I think it's next week uh to talk about what they've included in their proposal as well as to spend some time uh reviewing their financial representations about the project itself. So um that RFP process is moving forward. So those are the the three items that I had for this evening.

Excellent. Thanks on that. Yeah. Uh Sean, I was at the affordable housing committee meeting. Um and that was one of the questions that had popped up, you know, in regards to where we were with that project. So, thank you for that update. And will there be an update going to the affordable housing committee where that is at and if there's anything they need to be involved in? Yes. And I think uh Frank had sent a note to uh Lawrence um with an update for for your meeting. So, okay. When we have more information, we'll send it over. Okay, great. Thank you.

I have one question about the um the um my Antonomi in the boulevard. Um we're we're confident that we've we're solving the issue there because it seems like it's getting worse. Well, I think the drains the drains are only going in now and then all of that binder that's been compromised from before has to be ground out and replaced. So,

according to Bob this morning, yes, he believes that. And it was going through my mind yesterday as I was driving through through there um going to my sister's house for Easter. It was um something had to change there over time because that road was fine for years and years and years and all of a sudden we're getting all this water. It must be I don't know if it's building. I don't know what it is but something had to change over time to create this issue. No, I agree. So, okay, we're on it. Any further questions? We have about four minutes. Okay. Motion recess for four minutes. All in favor? Okay.

Okay, folks. We're going to uh we're going to get started with the regular meeting at 6:30. So, I appreciate it and thank you. Uh let's move on to number three, public forum. Motion to reconvene. We'll do that first. All in favor? I. Number three. Pursuant to rule 25, the rules of the council, citizens may address the town on one subject only. Um said subject of substantive town business neither discussed during the regular meeting nor related to personal or job performance. Citizens may speak for no longer than 5 minutes and must submit a public participation form to the council clerk prior to the start of the meeting. All items discussed during this session will not be voted upon. Okay. So, we do have some folks that would like to speak. Uh, we have um Barry McGoff.

Good evening. Good evening. Just your name and address for the record, please.

My name is Barry McGoff. I live at 3853rd Beach Road in Middletown, Rhode Island. I'd like to speak to you briefly and I'll try to be very succinct about fireworks. I've had a lot of discussions with neighbors, uh, people that own horses. I live very close to the equestrian facility on Third Beach Road. Uh, neighbors have also talked to people that own horses on uh, at the end of Green End Avenue towards Third Beach. And then there's all the people that own dogs and what's fireworks are doing to them. Evidently, the ordinance for fireworks in the state, I'm not sure if it's state or middle town, is that rockets are prohibited without a permit. Ground fireworks are legal, but the fireworks that are being sold in the state are not the ones that are are causing the major explosions that are happening late at night and disrupting people's lives. They don't sell M80s or cherry bombs at BJ's or 7-Eleven or whoever else sells them, but that's what's happening. It's already started. There was a tremendous loud explosions the other night towards the end of around right right around where Green End Avenue meets Third Beach Road. So the police I think the I friend of mine spoke to the chief and he said that if you have a complaint you need to have the people's address. So I had a friend over on Maidford River Road off of Prospect and there was loud explosions going on. His dog is shaking and uh so he's in bed. He's got to get up, clothes on, drive around the neighborhood, and see if they're still going on. But I understand that's a

problem. You can't call the police uh for disturbing the peace and not know where the the complaint is located. So, I wish that the council would first of all consider this to be a serious problem. Um, all of so many people are dog lovers and own dogs and a very high percentage of those are terrified from it. The women, the woman that owns the equestrian stable told me her horses are frantically kicking at the stable walls, whining. Um, and it it's summer's not even here. It's already beginning. It seems to me that the ordinance should include a couple of things. one, if they're going to allow a ground fireworks that they should be limited to ones that are sold legally in the state. The the the one and a half sparklers and little things like that, they're not I could do without them, but you know, they're they're they're going to happen. But people, that's not what's happening. Um, like I say, it's there people. It's not hard to get these uh much larger fireworks. I'm a veteran. I've heard enough explosions. I don't need to be woken up in the middle of the night, my dog shaking, get in my car and drive around trying to find out who the hell's doing it. But that's my only choice because how else can I make a complaint? I think that the ordinance should include the like I I think I previously said that they have to be limited ground fireworks only ones that are sold legally in the state and there also doesn't seem to be any time limit. I mean it seems like even that should be end by 9:30 10:00 something reasonable. I mean just because they're sold in the state and you get a bunch of fireworks

doesn't give you the right to go shoot them off at uh 1:00 in the morning. I can't think of anything else to say on this subject. I I I guess I would just like to emphasize that you realize what a problem this is. People, so many dog owners, we're all paying 10 bucks for our license. The people shooting these off aren't paying anything. So if you took it seriously and maybe changed the audience a uh excuse me the ordinance or updated it so that it uh included some kind of time frame. I uh just succinctly just quickly I had a place up in Denmark Maine that was so problem was so bad that the town banned them but they were legal in the state of Maine but towns could opt out and completely ban them if they wanted to. So, they made a restrictive ordinance only allowed on the 4th of July and New Year's Eve. And every road leading into Denmark, Maine, has a sign out there that says Denmark has a restrictive fireworks ordinance. Thank you for your time.

Okay. Thank you, Barry. Appreciate it. Okay. Okay. That's all that's it for public forum. Okay. Is there anybody on Zoom? No. Okay. Number 18, I guess, is where most of the folks want to talk, correct? Okay, let's uh uh vice president motion to act as a board of licensed commission. Second. We have a motion to second to act as a board of licensed commission. All in favor? I.

Okay. Acting as a board of licensed commission. Number four, notice of public hearing uh from the license commissioners in reference to application of Newport National Golf Club Incorporated, DBA, Newport National Golf Club, 425 Mitchell's Lane for a BV liquor license for the 2025 2026 licensing year uh for use at same premises. Town is just for the record, town is an abuted to the applicant. Motion received said notice of public hearing. Second. All in favor? I I so I guess Mr. So before you get started, Peter, because the town's in a butter and we make decisions for the town, does that make this a conflict? No. Okay. I just want to make sure because otherwise they they would have nowhere to go to

I I know, but I just want to make sure that that's clear because you sit here and think about it, you're like, well, wait a minute. No, I mean it would be different if you all lived around the golf course and you were all individually of Butters, but as far as the town's concerned, not an issue. Okay. Okay. Mr. Silvin. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members of the council before he starts. Yeah, please. Okay. Sorry, Mr. Silva. Sorry.

Not at my game tonight, I guess. Number five. Advertised and the butt is notified for public hearing. Application Newport National Golf Club Incorporated DBA Newport National Golf Club 425 Mitchell's Lane for a BB liquor license for the 2025 2026 licensing year for use at same premises. Motion to open the public hearing. Second. We have a motion to second. Open. All in favor? I Sorry about that. Go ahead, sir.

Perfectly all right. For the record, Mr. President, uh my name is Robert Silva. I'm an attorney and I I'm representing the Newport National Golf Club in connection with this application. Uh the uh course itself has been up to recently an 18hole facility with a small double wide trailer on the orchard course uh dealing with uh uh drinks and sandwiches. In the meanwhile, uh Mr. Pereira, who's the president of uh the organization, uh sought to build another nine holes on the west side of the street and at that location to actually construct a formal uh clubhouse, which he has never had before. The clubhouse is completed. The nine holes has been uh completed. We're waiting for the grass to grow in. uh completely. So we will be opening the course this year. The request here is to have what we had on the east course on the west course, which is a liquor license for the clubhouse uh and the ability to sell beverages through the cart, which will go around the nine holes uh and make uh drinks available to the players while they're on the course. Uh the facility itself is rather impressive. Mr. Pereira uh did nothing but the best. It's a twostory facility. The lower portion has a uh grill room which will be used mostly uh when the public plays the course. And over on the other side, there's a banquet hall which

can be used if there are tournaments with a large number of people attending. And there'll be liquor sold on the first floor and also on the second floor. The second floor uh has a grill room as well as a banquet hall. The first floor has a pro shop, lockers, and a small area uh for cocktails that'll be served. So, we're respectfully requesting uh that a license be granted for the brand new facility. Uh it's a major undertaking which took quite some time, but it's now complete, ready to be used. The estimate for the investment uh for the clubhouse alone is anywhere between 14 to$15 million. It's a rather impressive facility. And now it's asking that it be allowed to as most other clubs u be able to serve liquor in that premises and a cart on the course which is nine holes not 18.

Okay. I have Mr. Per here and also with Dan Hall who's the general manager has been with the organization for a number of years. He runs the place so to speak. Uh and he'd be more than happy to answer any questions that the council might have. Yeah. Okay. So, when when does it plan to open? I'm sorry. When does it plan to open? Uh this this spring. This spring. Just watching the grass grow. Yeah. All right.

All right. Are they gonna they have any type of other um functions there? Weddings or anything like that? Still. No weddings. Okay. Okay. Thank you. We're going to have We'll see if anybody else from the public or any council any questions. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Silva. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak on this item? It is a public hearing and the public hearing is open. Any councils have any questions? Okay. There's no one on Zoom.

And the Thank you for the friendly reminder. There's nobody on Zoom. Uh Mr. Pra, pretty impressive facility. You I've watched it for I think we've all probably watched it for the last couple of years. And uh yeah, it's it looks at least from the road it looks beautiful. I'm sure it's beautiful inside. So, um, and and you know, I know it's a it's a it's a it's a large building, but I mean the all that land is kept open, which is fantastic. So, and it looks great. So, um, that's just my two cents. I figured I I don't get to I think I've met you once other time in my life and I figured I'd let you let you know and compliment you on what you've accomplished there. So, okay. Um, any councils have any other comments? Anyone else in the public want to speak on this before we close the hearing?

Okay. Motion to close the public hearing. Second. We have a motion, a second to close a public hearing. All in favor? I. Motion to grant said license. Second. We have a motion, a second to grant said license. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. Is anybody opposed? Thank you. Motion carries. Uh let's move on to Thank you, Mr. Chairman. members. Thank you guys. Good luck. Thank you. Okay. Um let's move on to number six. Application of St. Lucy's Church, 909 West Main Road for a class F alcoholic beverage license, beer and wineed one-day license for Saturday, May 23rd, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the use of the same premise.

Motion to grant said license. Second. We have a motion to second a grant. Is there any conversation hearing? None. All in favor? I I. Anybody oppose? Thank you. Motion to reconvene as a town council. Second. Have a motion, a second to reconvene as a town council. All in favor? I. Okay. Let's move on to the consent calendar. Would any councils like to remove any items from the consent calendar? Number 10. 10. Yeah. I was Yeah, I was going to do that as well. Yeah. Okay. So, uh, Vice President motion to approve the consent calendar with the exception of item number 10. Second. We have a motion to second to approve the consent calendar with the exception number 10. All in favor?

I Okay. Number 10, communication of Nicholas P. Kugan in reference to resignation from the Open Space and Fields Committee. Motion received said resignation with regret. Second. Okay, we have a motion to second. Uh Chris, and I I want to remove it because I want to just recognize Nick for the amount of work that he's put in on the open space and fields committee. Y I don't even what is it 20 years

that he's been there and been the chair for so many years. He's done a phenomenal job. Um, and I didn't want it to just squeak by on the consent calendar. I wanted to just call him out and thank him for the time that he's given to the town of Middletown and that role in capacity. So, good luck in your next endeavor, Nick. And, uh, the application will still be open if you decide to come back. Yes. I'll just

Yeah, I just I I'm glad we pulled this off because when I read was reading it, I was like, "Wow." Oh, and and in his and in his memo to us, he put Donald Remfeld was the was President Bush's secretary of defense when I was a member of this committee at large. So, at large of this committee, so he's been on uh for for quite a while and uh I just want to thank Nick for his for his time and his commitment to the open space and the town of Middletown. So, um great job. Rob and Wendy, if I we could probably send him a little something, you know, town tile or, you know, something really nice, that'd be that'd be great. Probably should have him in is probably the right thing to do. So, if we can coordinate that, that'd be fantastic.

Like to coordinate the public works guys come in the same night if possible to recognize them as well. Okay. Okay. So, let's move on to uh Thank you. Uh we have a motion, a second. All in favor? I I Okay, let's move on to license permits. Number 11, application of Newport National Golf Club Incorporated DBA Newport National Golf Club 425 Mitchell's Lane for Ving House license for the 2025 2026 licensing year. This is new motion to grant said license subject to building official fire marshall and board of health approvals. Second

have a motion to second a grant. Is there any conversation hearing? None. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Number 12, application for special event permit from the Quinn Island Police Parade for the Quinn Island Police Parade beginning on West Main Road in front of Hampton Inn in suites 317 West Main Road to Washington Square, Newport to be held on Sunday, May 3rd, 2026 beginning at 9:00 a.m. The parade committee respectfully requests all fees to be waved. Motion to grant said special event permit and wave all fees. Second. I have a motion to second a grant. Is there any conversation hearing? Done. Just want to make sure all you attend. Nope. All in favor? I.

Okay. Number 13. Application for special event permit from Sooso Radio for Music on the Beach to be held at Second Beach on Saturday, June 13th, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Motion to grant said special event permits. Second. We have a motion to second a grant. Is anybody here from Yes. I'd like to Yes. Come on up. and just your name and address because I'd like to ask a few questions. We're very we're very protective of our beaches as you I'm sure you're aware of. So, absolutely. Anytime something new comes up, just kind of want to know what the intention is, what this is about and

definitely definitely. Well, uh good evening. My name is Nick Saren. Um I am of 22 Stockholm Street in Newport.

Okay. Um and um I am I'm seeking this special event permit um as it would be the third social radio event that we will if granted have done at the beach. Um the first two events were um of a a permit of a number less than I believe 300. They were around 250 both times. And so um for this one um I'm seeking a permit a greater number there. And really all all that social radio is it is a um no alcohol, no food vendor, um just playing music on the beach from 5 to 8, which I also wanted to preface that any of the details there are are totally open to, you know, your what you would prefer, including number of people you would allow, uh timing, but my my timing is set there as 5 to 8 because I want it to end and exist totally in the light, you know, ends where it's still light out. The sun hasn't really set yet. Everybody can still leave and it's light outside. Um, but it is an all ages event. It has brought before it started just as like my family and friends just to be able to play music and enjoy it and in what I think is the most beautiful beach in the state. Um, and you know, it's it's brought my grandparents, it's brought my young nieces and nephews and you know, their friends. Um, it's a very familyfriendly event. The intention is to be um, familyfriendly. Um, and you know, I could keep going on details. If anybody has any questions, I'd love to.

Yeah. So, what kind of music are we talking about? It's I feel like I'm the guy that on the the board on Foot Loose, the movie, you know. But go ahead. I just curious as to what type of music we're talking about. Yeah, absolutely. It's it's dance music. It's um it's it's um you know there's there's no profanity. It really is just kind of like house uh you know techno kind of that that sort of thing electronic music. Okay. Um so I just want to be clear on the dates, Nick. Yes. Um you have one time event Saturday June 13th.

Um but then below it says 712. Yes. Um I Oh, so you did that then? Uh seven. Are you talking about in the past? Yes. Yes. Last year was 7:12, but a note on the date. Um you know, I'm I'm open to really any any Saturdays that you would allow. I think that's also why that note is there that it doesn't have to be June 13th. I don't know if it makes it easier for you if I say like it's just one day, right? But it also said June through August, right? As uh I meant that as

and then it says onetime event June 13th. So I was a little confused on the on what you were actually looking for. I I am just looking for one date and by the June to August I I meant that as I'm I'm open to what you're flexible for the date. Okay. Yep. Exactly. Exactly. Okay. All right. Does anybody have any questions? Peter, I do. Thank you, Mr. President. Could you just speak into the mic, please? Yes, sir. Thank you. U Mr. Sar, just once again, can you kind of explain what the event is? What's the crowd that normally comes?

So, so the crowd really is is very varied. It's it's, you know, kids, people my age, which I'm I'm 31. Um, it's brought, like I said, my young nieces and nephews. So, it's my my emphasis is really on a familyfriendly sort of thing. It's it's not like a, you know, like a strict 20 kids in their 20s kind of thing. Um, it really is, it really, I genuinely do mean all ages, both, you know, young and old. Um, and it really simply is just kind of a community event to be able to play music in a in a beautiful location. And I started doing this idea because I'm not really a big uh bars and clubs in Newport kind of guy. Yeah.

And it's not the intention really is also not alcohol and it's certainly not drugs. Um, so that's why I don't really care that it's about that. How do you how do you kind of make sure none of that gets into the crowd people coming in? Absolutely. So, I I pay for and bring my own security and then I also um you know am of course doing a police detail, fire detail if you guys would would like. And um this this intention is communicated to anybody who is coming. And I actually I have my I've had my lawyer draft a a sort of disclaimer that if you are agreeing to come to this, you are agreeing to the fact that there is no there's no alcohol allowed.

Well, not only that, but in the memo we have, it says that um you know, after speaking with the chief in the major, it has been decided that due to the uncertainty about the size of this event and being advertised on social media, we require five officers with cruises for four hours each. That's that's absolutely fine. And I actually wanted to ask um what size is there a a cap that you'd like? Is there is there a number of people that you would like to say this is the number? Because it also I'm I'm really flexible. It doesn't really matter so much to me. I just kind of figured that it would be above 300, which is why why I'm here. So I still have a few more to get done.

Good Peter. Okay. Thank you. Um Mr. Sarah, how do you sell the tickets for the event? How and like when? I mean, do you sell them well beforehand or how does that work? So, the idea is that the tickets usually go on I I try to aim that they would be on sale about 2 weeks before the event and they are set on on this app as having a cap at whatever number is agreed upon. That's the number of tickets that are available. Um, I've also done it in the past purely as like a a logistical management, if you will, that I don't disclose the location of the event. That was a question I was going to ask. Yeah.

Yes. So, so the location is not disclosed. It's only disclosed to ticket holders, people who are who are able to actually buy a ticket. And then at that point, I only disclose the location itself to those ticket holders the day of. And I've I've changed, you know, how often or rather how soon I do it. And, you know, I've done it where I I notify the the people who have tickets an hour before the known start time because they know when it will start.

And the total intention for that is to make sure that it's not any type of word is getting out. I wasn't able to get a ticket. I'm not going to respect the, you know, level of uh the the number of people allowed and I'm going to show up anyway. So that's that's why that system is is in place. So what's the price per ticket? I've done in the past $25 and I I don't want to exceed that price. Um and how do you limit the number of tickets? Uh it's it's limited right on the app. So I I can I put in exactly once you get 350 it shuts down. Shuts down. It's and it says sold out. There's nothing else that is purchasable. Correct.

Um were there any issues with any of the previous events? I would say there were no issues whatsoever. No. Um Okay, Mr. President, I'm not against this, but I'm just wondering if this is something we should put in front of the beach commission to see where they stand on this. I know we've approved it before, obviously, but I mean, it's whatever the council wants to do. I don't I don't have an issue with it. I just I just have some more questions. Okay,

I'll set. So Nick, so so say you know sometimes it gets warm. You might have some warm nights early on in June. Typically it's not, but you never know. And how do you how do you decipher from, you know, residents or non-residents that are walking the beach that hear the music and come up versus versus, oh, you don't have a ticket, you're out of here. Cuz that's a problem for me, right? To be honest with you, our residents are not going to get thrown off the beach because going on. Absolutely. you know what I mean? So, how do you how are we going to handle that?

So, so in the past, um I first of all, I completely agree with you and and you know, I was nervous doing these events before setting up in, you know, I didn't know what people at the beach who were already there on, you know, on a beautiful Saturday would think of the music. And so the first thing that I do when I go there to start to set up is, you know, if I can find a place to set up, I approach anybody who's around there and say, you know, I introduce myself, um, tell them that, you know, we're going to be playing music and that they are invited to stay. We would love for them to stay. Um, that's actually that's part of the factor of um the like allowed number of the permit is because a lot of people when I've set up there before, there's a ton of people who stay and who have been there already. um which I love and and I encourage and I hope that they do stay and it's been fun to see people be excited about oh I didn't know that there was going to be music here today and you know I happen to already be here we got nothing going on after this and so let's you know let's stay and and see what the music is about um they are not charged they are they you know even though they don't have a ticket that's totally okay I've you know I've been very happy for them to to stay but you're right because that does you know influence the number of people who are there because if that number is not considered in addition to the number of uh tickets sold then obviously the crowd is larger than

um so so where do you set up at? So it's been uh down path two. Um so it's it's you know I've made I made sure that I could go as far left if I'm in the parking lot down the beach to you know try to find a place that is you know not crowded when I already get there. Um, and I also I bring a you know, it's a small portable generator, so I'm I don't um I'm not using power at the beach, so it's kind of a self-contained thing. Okay. Um, how you doing? I I'm just uh curious what Will would have to say.

Same as that. I mean, the beach commission is not a bad idea, but uh Will's got to deal with it. I I have no experience with it last year at all or previous years. Um but it does sound like 350 tickets on top of it is a good day. You know, that could be a fair amount of people and I don't know. Um I'd just be curious to what Will has to say. I mean, do we have to decide right tonight? Would the beach commission have any is there any reason why they would have any sway one way? I mean, look, we we allow other things at the beach. Well, and that they don't go before the beach commission. I'm not want to slight the beach commission, but I get it. It's they're they're not really policy uh makers.

Will know has already gone through aware of why this comes up. Will Will is actually the the the person I've worked with in in years past and he sent me here, right? He this is why he made him do this because before he had just the facility use because it wasn't that big. Now Will told him it's getting bigger. You need to come to the council. Okay. Okay. Yeah, because I don't remember it right last he hasn't been there. This is the first year. Yes, that's that's correct. Okay. Okay. Any other questions or comments or concerns? Charlie, thanks Nick for coming in. You're the DJ, too, right? I am the DJ. All right. Want to make that point. So, yes. Um, so I noticed on your website like

it says here like uh it's like get the location, right? That's so that's really how you do this. you have a bunch of followers and then they you offer this out there like, "Hey, we're had do an event on June 13th." And then they buy a ticket, right? Yes. Okay. I can actually I can take you um in a more specifically through that if you if you'd like to know.

No, I don't. I just I mean it is um and it looks like you have the opportunity in that to set any kind of rules when they buy that ticket. So, do you guys issue a ticket or is it something like Eventbrite or something like that? Um it's actually it has been on a platform called Acme. Um which it will continue to be on a platform called Acme in which actually the CEO um is a friend of mine who lives in Middletown um funny enough um his name's Eli Letterman. Um and so that's the platform I've used before. And so that website the socialadio.co is basically it's a place where people put their number in if they're interested. And so that puts them on my text list, which then it's around two weeks before the event um happens that those people on the text list get a text to a link to Acme, which is the ticketing platform. Acme is the one that kind of sets the limit of, you know, the first 350, which is the number we've been using th those first 350 people who are able to buy their ticket, they're the ones who are in and after that it's it's sold out. So when we But right now you've been given five police details. Is that what it was, Wendy? I forgot.

Yes. Okay. Five. And that's based on 350 people cuz the number of persons expected. Is that is that what that the police we send everything to them? Y they come back with what they need. Okay. Based on that 350 number. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions or comments? All right. Thank you, Nick. I I have one more question if that's if that's okay. Um

I have had obviously an issue with rain before. Um I've had to work with Will to select a new date in the case that it does rain. And I wanted to ask in terms of, you know, rain date or date selection, would you would you like me to either revisit with you in in terms of trying to figure out a rain date or or if um again, it would only be one event. I'm not looking to do more than one per summer. But Wendy, what what do you what's the process here for that?

Usually that that's figured out prior, but he'll have to go to Will and talk to Will. So, if you'd like to make a motion to grant the special event permit and then um allow a rain date. That's um that the town is will we decide on the rain date tonight, right? No, we won't decide on it. We're going to let him and Will decide on it. Yeah, cuz you don't know when it's all because they need to make sure that the beach is available right at that time. So the council can leave it up to the town administration to um Okay. come up with the rain date. Okay. Fair enough. You good with that? Absolutely. Thank you. Excellent. Okay. Uh so we need to amend the

motion. Amend the motion. All right. Uh we'll amend the motion to say motion to grant the special event permit. Urain date will be determined. Yeah. To be determined. Yeah. Yeah. To be determined. Okay. Okay. Fair enough. Have a motion to second. Any further discussion? Thanks for the conversation. All in favor? I. Good luck. Thank you very much, council. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

You're welcome. Number 14, application for special event permit from Newport County YMCA, 792 Valley Road, Middletown for third beach swim lessons for the Newport County YMCA. Beach swim lessons for children's ages four and five and 6 through 8 to be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, August 4th, 2026 through August 20th, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Held at Third Beach, just past the boat ramp lifeguard stand. Motion to grant said special event permit. Second. We have a motion, a second to grant. Um, is there any conversation on this one hearing? None. All in favor?

I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Number 15, application for special event permit from the saltwater edge striper kickoff custom saltwater fishing lure show in the tent behind the shop Saturday, April 11th, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. to be held at 1376 West Main Road. Motion to grant said special event permit.

Second of a motion to second a grant. Is there any conversation hearing? None. All in favor? I. Let's move on to town council business. Um, at the request of number 16, at the request of councel Logan, um, in reference to resolution of the council, in reference to proclaiming the month of May 2026 as I'm going to butcher this, IMO traffic lateral sclerosis awareness month. Motion to continue this item to May 4th, 2026. Second. We have a motion, a second to continue. Um, Chris, you good with that date? Yep. Okay.

I want it in May. All right. Excellent. All in favor? I uh Thank you. Number 17. At the request of myself, resolution of the council in reference to proclamation of uh Arbor Day. Motion to pass that resolution. Second.

We have a motion, a second to pass. Um I would like to uh just read the resolution or the proclamation in honor of Arubber Day. Uh whereas Rhode Island has se celebrated Arbor Day for over 130 years. And whereas Arbor Day and tree planting activities are a wholesome and inexpensive way to acknowledge and reaffirm future prospects of a community. And whereas a celebration of Arbor Day is a meaningful way to celebrate springtime and introduce school children to local government. And whereas the town of Middletown acknowledges the tremendous and vital contribution that trees make to our quality of life in the community. So therefore, be it resolved the town council, Title, Middletown, speaking on behalf of all of its citizens, uh recognized Arbor Day, April 24th, 2026 in the community. So I think that's important. Um I think a lot of times we just take for granted of the beauty of the trees and you know what they bring to the community and what they mean. So it's uh it's one of those just unspoken um un things. So all right. So we have a motion and a second uh to pass said resolution. All in favor? I

Okay, I think this is the one most of us have been waiting for is at the request of myself. Number 18 in reference to resolution of the council in support of municipalities collaborating and reviewing and analyzing and responding to the 2025 affordable housing laws. Motion to pass said resolution. Second.

Okay, so we have a motion to pass, but we do have a bunch of folks who would like to speak. And um I had received an an email from Mike Flynn um right after our last meeting asking to put it on and I wasn't very clear in my communication. I did see it. Uh he didn't realize it was on. I assumed I was automatically going to put it on which I did. Uh but I never really told him it was on. So I want to apologize to you for not being as clear as I probably should have been. Uh but there was no ill intentions there. Believe me. You know, we might see not see eye to eye on certain things, Mike. But when somebody asks me to do something, unless it's outrageous, I typically do it. Okay. Well, not going to benefit the town or at least good discussion. So, having said that, this one's on. Yes. Oh, this one I put this on because um when Mike had brought it to our attention at the last meeting, uh the town of Portsmouth had um started this, I believe, and I see some folks from Portsouth here this evening. Um, and the more I thought about it and looked at it, you know, we we as we go through this housing venture, um, you know, um, one of the things we don't want to happen is we don't want our town to look like something we don't want it to look like, if that makes sense. Although we need housing, and I know I'm getting the the corporate eyebrow over there from Mr. Frank, but um, I'm sure he's got a little bit to say. But uh having said that, I think there needs to be when I read this, it made a lot of sense that Middletown's not going to stop its housing venture cuz we need housing. We all know that. But I think I think I don't want to use the words pushed around. Uh but there's not one, as it said in the resolution, there's not one cookie cutter um for every community. Hey, you got to do this and this is what it should look like. Well, Middletown doesn't look like uh Providence and it doesn't look like uh you know, Portouth doesn't look like Providence or Wound Socket or you know,

Central Falls or any other community like that. It's just that that's how they were developed. This is how we were developed. So, I think it's important that we have discussion around um and let the state know that hey, this is not acceptable potentially. So, we need to take that vote, but we certainly need to have discussion about it. At the same time, there needs to be a balance of because we do need housing, but it needs to be what each community needs and what each community should look like versus what, hey, you have to do this and all these laws changed and good luck. And I'm sure there was maybe that wasn't their intention, but that's kind of what it's kind of evolving to be a little bit and and so um you know, when good people and smart people come together and reasonable people come together, we'll figure this thing out. So, we do have a bunch of folks that would like to talk. Uh, Anton's not here, right?

Yeah, I don't see him. He's not here. Okay, we'll save it to the end just in case he shows up. But in the meantime, um, we have Larry Fitz Morris.

Thank you very, very much for giving me the opportunity to speak. Ladies and gentlemen of the council, Mr. President. Um I'm Larry Fitz Morris of 50 Christen Court in Portsouth, Rhode Island, and I'm here with a number of members of council. Uh Mr. Gleason is a vice president. He's here. Charlene Patton is here and David Reese is also here. So, three members of our seven member council are present. Um I'm here to speak in favor of passage of this resolution. Um this starts number of years ago 2024 and 2025 the principal years and the assembly passed a number somewhere around 30 to 35 different laws. They were bills and then they made them laws. They've been signed by the governor that directly um address the discretionary authority of the zoning boards, the planning boards to make decisions in the normal processes I think we're all familiar with where you go up and you present your plan and you have some citizens that speak to it and they get approved and they pass on. So it also addresses these bills uh virtually eliminate the council's authority on residential zoning code. So that's important for everybody to remember as well. So in the process what happens is the individuals who may object to the planning that somebody has brought forward for a new new um building or whatever. um they can't really get much of a word in at the zoning board and the planning board anymore and they cannot go to

their council and ask them to change the zoning code. So what they're left with is other options. Primary one is to go into superior court and litigate the thing in a long protracted and expensive process. So, it's important, I think, to remember that we're affecting people's property um and their right to to uh defend their properties. This um set of laws are intended to do primarily one thing from from our point of view and that is to dramatically increase the density of our communities. That's a rural and suburban communities in the state. They have, as far as I can see, very little effect on the cities, but there it's aimed primarily at your town and my town. In the process of developing all these laws, no consultation was ever done that I'm aware of with any of the councils in this state. Now, that may be wrong, but I don't know of any. So, I'd like to point out that they did this on the quiet. There was also no public hearings where people could come other than the normal um process that goes on at the assembly. So there was no effort to inform the publication the public of what was going to happen and the consequences of the results. Um, all protections for single families on single lots are now gone out of our zoning code. They've been changed. I wanted to make that point alone. Um, no serious evaluation of the impact of these ball of these

laws on things like watershed, water usage, traffic patterns, and all the other utilities that required that we're all required to keep a track of in order to maintain decent uh communities. None of those things appear to have been considered with the possible exception of sewers. Um but the all of us know that each of our towns are different and Middletown's different than Portsouth and we don't have sewers and you primarily do and so we have some fundamental differences in how we handle these things. And yet this as the president of the council said these series of bills are going to apply this same cookie cutter thing to the entire state. So that's a complete lack of planning that they did on what is a very sweeping change in zoning code. Of course, this is all for residential zoning code. Um we believe that it's a dangerous precedent here. Um, if the state can change local control over local law, and nothing's more local than zoning code, then they can probably change anything else that we have in the local um purvey as they go forward in this thing. So we in Portsouth are trying to make a stand on this thing and that's the primary reason one of the primary reasons is we don't know what's coming next. So what is going to happen with these uh cities I mean and we don't have these cities but the towns are joining this effort is they will do two things. First thing is that they will enter superior court and request an temporary injunction

putting aside these 35 in some some estimates are now 60 laws until we can figure out what they mean. uh the application of them in Portsouth so far has been very very confused and you know if you have this many laws they're going to be contradictory and the reality is normal zoning code is resolved over case law down through the years but uh this one's a little confusing. The the other thing they're going to do, the groups, the councils that join this effort, is to request the court to make an assessment of the constitutionality of these laws relative to the constitution of the state's article 13, which is the home rule area of the uh constitution. So do do two things. ask for an injunction and ask the court to make a judgment on the constitutionality of the principal laws involved. So, there's uh nine communities so far have addressed this and have adopted this resolution. Uh I'll read them.

Larry, I'm just going to need you to Yes, sir. We're already two minutes over your uh All right. time, so I don't want to cut you short, sir, because want to be good neighbors, but we're going to follow some rules. if you would just want to finish up, go right ahead. Yeah. Okay. There's nine communities and I won't read them in. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. Mike Flynn. Mike Flynn. Mike Flynn, 34 Warren Avenue in Middletown. Um, I'm here to support the resolution which you put on the agenda, Paul. Um, good evening, Mr. President and members of the town council. I appreciate the opportunity to speak tonight and I encourage you and the town council to support the Portsouth Town Council resolution. Some of the problems that in my opinion are are presented with these laws and Larry mentioned some of them, but I'll be I'll be a little quicker, not as eloquent, but I'll be quick. removes all the protections from single family homes on single lots with public water and sewer. Largely ends local decisionmaking over residential zoning. No studies have been done on the impacts to the infrastructure in these all these towns that are now impacted by this because it is a one-sizefits-all thing. Um the laws were passed without the cities and towns input and it puts our property rights at risk. So, I also encourage the town council to vote and to support and sign a resolution and joint municipal statement pledging to join Portsouth in reviewing, analyzing, and responding to the 2025 affordable housing laws. Thank you. I'd like to make this part of the public record also.

Okay. Thank you, Mike. Okay. Bill Welch, how you doing? Good. How are you? Good. I haven't seen you in a years now. miss me. Uh, I guess so. Yes, sir. The answer is yes, sir. After I say what I have to say, you might not miss me. That's okay.

Thank you very much. Good evening. The state has moved quietly over the past few years to strip municipalities of control over zoning. They want to force the building of more affordable housing. Most people like home rule. Local government close to the people making local decisions. But the state has taken that away from all Rhode Island municipalities, including Middleton. The nine towns have decided to stand up. Bristol, Burville, East Greenwich, Hopkinson, Lincoln, Portsmith, Smithfield, Turretton, West Greenwich. I don't doubt that the residents of Middletown want to control control their future. You, the town council, are the voice of the people. I hope you agree to speak up for them by adopting Portsouth's resolution and joint municipal agreement to take back local zoning control for the people of Middletown.

Any questions for me? Does anybody have any questions for Bill? I'm asking if anybody has any questions for you, sir. Thank you, Bill. And I do miss you. Alicia,

good evening. Alicia Reyes, 30 Bliss Mine Road. Thank you for um putting this on the agenda for tonight and thank you for to the previous speakers for spelling out some of the details of this resolution. Um, so I'm going to try and be very brief. Um, it's my belief that local zoning and ordinances um are imposed for the protection of its community members. Um, and there it's a key factor in maintaining a community's character, quality of life, and its ability to provide its residents with adequate public services. Um, as well as ensuring the rights of its property owners. Um the site the state's one side one-sizefits-all approach to affordable housing at best diminishes local authorities ability to do this to protect um to protect the residents property rights and also the amenities that we've grown accustomed to. Um, also, and it's not clear to me that enforcement of these um, new regulations will actually make Newport and make make Middletown more affordable. Um, as there will be consequences associated with this um, accelerated increased density. And we've spoken before about um unintended consequences and outcomes of some um decisions that have made been made with all good intentions that we have to deal with afterwards. And I believe this is certainly the case for for that that down the road um residents and the town will have to deal with um infrastructure updates um service um in improving service up

service to the town um because we don't have the same resources and the same infrastructure that the cities have. um it's just um not feasible for the state to expect us to be able to keep up with um with the bigger cities in the state. Um so um I am in support of this resolution and urge you to support our neighbors in this push back um regarding state control over our town. Thank you.

Thank you, Alicia. Mr. Frank, Lawrence Frank O'Donnell Road. I have some concerns about some specific parts of this resolution. Reading from the resolution resolved number 3D. Determine a reasonable time frame to assess the impacts of accelerated and unchecked low moderate income housing developments on the infrastructure of a municipality including sewer water capacity, traffic congestion and safety service capacity and their schools. Now from the new Middletown comprehensive community plan housing element page 45 entitled housing development pipeline. The comp plan identifies 495 market rate units in the town currently under development planned or in use. In addition, the planned hotel is now noted as 144 rooms. The total infrastructure burden comes out to be 639 apartments, houses, and rooms. Now, the comp plan identifies 168 affordable apartments and homes. How is it how is it that with a large number of market rate housing, planned, under construction, or finished that low moderate income housing developments are singled out for scrutiny? Even though even though they represent only onethird one-third of the number of market rate units identified in the camp complaint

housing element. Recall that the house the West Main Codington development was presented to the community as a done deal without meeting the legal requirements of any proposed project. There was no RFP. The original RFI called for workforce and affordable housing. The current project has none with the promise the promise of affordable housing sometime in the future. Why this disregard this hostility towards low and moderate income families? Reading again from the resolution. Whereas a one-sizefits-all approach to housing development risks undermining the statutory role of muni municipal planning boards and zoning authorities, weakening weakening local democratic decisionmaking and creating adverse impacts that are inconsistent with sound planning. It's almost laughable to read this local democratic decision-making. The council the council has refused over and over again to allow a townwide vote on the West Main project. The town government regularly regularly excludes the citizens from local democratic decision-making. The council's complaint about democracy would mean something if that were the practice. It is not. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Frank. David Gleason.

Okay. Dave Gleason. Good evening, council president and honorable counselors. A le 63 Mass Soy Avenue in Portsouth Rhode Island. I'm currently the vice president of the Portsouth town council. Uh I think you've heard everything. I'll I'll be pretty brief tonight. I do have some statistics that I will provide for you that are from 2024 from the Rhode Island Housing's annual report to the general assembly. In January of this year, Porsche unanimously passed a resolution concerning the effects of our town's ability to enforce article 13 of the Rhode Island Constitution regarding our home rule charter, excuse me, home rule authority over local land use, zoning, and comprehensive planning. We believe that a one-sizefits-all approach to affordable housing does not work for all Rhode Island communities and question the effects of the 2025 state affordable housing laws. Having sent a resolution to all cities and towns, we currently have support of eight communities. These communities, you've heard them before, I'll I'll bore you with it one more time. Uh and I'll give you the low moderate income housing percentage as of 2024 for each of those communities. For starters, Middletown is at 6.13%. And these are numbers that were instituted in 1991 for who knows what reason. I don't know how somebody came up with that number that says 10% is a number you have to have in low to moderate income income housing. The word was probably affordable housing at the time. Um, Tiveran is at 6%, Hopkin 7 a.5%. Baraveville is the highest 10.19%. Smithfield 5.85% West Greenwich 1.77

Bristol 7.21 as well as East Greenwich 7.21 Situit is 1.32 Portsmouth is currently around 3 and a half%. If we put 500 LMI houses on the island right now on in Portsmouth right now without any other construction we would barely get to 10%. This number may not be achievable for Middletown. may not be achievable for these other rural towns that are like ourselves. Portsmith is going to meet next Monday to develop the next steps for proceeding with this issue and hope that Middletown considers supporting this resolution and a path forward to regain control over our town's ability to govern itself and control the town's planning and zoning boards. Thank you very much for your time.

Okay. Thank you, Dave. Appreciate you coming tonight. Yes, sir. Okay. Anyone else? Nope. No, Anton. So, that was the last form. I don't know about Zoom. Okay. Um, so any councils have any thoughts or comments uh on this resolution? I have one. Tom, I'm just wondering Peter Rean, I'm just wondering if there's anything that you've heard or seen that is problematic of us supporting Boardsmith's resolution. I agree in theory. I just didn't know if there's something I didn't catch.

Well, the part of the res and I'm not going to say whether it's problematic or not, but part of the resolution or a number of prisons resolution say that basically we're going to be taking legal action to enjoin or to try to avoid uh some of these legislative changes that have that have been enacted by the general assembly. I don't know what the strategy is for that. I don't know how that's going to happen. I don't know what the budget is for that. So, but that that is, you know, there's provisions asking for more collaboration with the state, but there are very specific provisions about basically taking legal action to try to avoid these legislative changes. So, from my standpoint, I would want to hear some more information about what the plan is for that. Who's going to be handling it? Is there has there been any initial research as to what the um what the challenge is going to be and the likelihood of any challenge being successful and and once again I think the town would want to know what the what the financial commitment would be to to that sort of effort were you to take part in it.

Understood. But as far as getting on board with them at this point there's no problem. Well, once again, am I saying I'm asking there's a number of different things that they're they're saying in here, and I think you need to look at them all carefully to make sure that you're on board with all of it if you're going to pass a resolution that includes all of those points. Um, there's also a provision, you know, asking the local boards to exercise caution and heightened scrutiny. And I'm a little uncomfortable with that because until such time as a court says that these laws are no longer applicable, our local boards have got to follow, you know, the provisions in the state zoning and and planning enabling acts. So,

thank you. Okay. Uh thank you, Peter. Uh any councils, any other councils have any one more? Sure. Charlie, go ahead. Uh this again is a question for our town solicitor. We we the town adopted many of these changes already into our zoning. Is that correct? Uh that's correct. I mean the majority of these changes were mandatory. We kind of had

there were some there were some options that we had uh of what we could or couldn't adopt or or in the manner in which they were adopted and perhaps how far they went. But most of the changes whether it was um different standards for substandard lots, provisions for accessory dwelling units, provisions for adaptive reuse of commercial buildings into residential structures. Um all of those were mandatory and as part of the zoning enabling act on which our you know our before these changes took place all our zoning was based on the zoning enabling and act uh enacted by the state and then these were changes to that state law which then filtered down to the to the municipalities.

Right. So the end result we'd have to change those locally as well. Right. Well, you what you'd have to do is you'd either have to at the legislative level get the general assembly to change or modify some of these changes that have already taken effect or you would need to challenge them in court. Once again, I don't know what the plan would be for that and what the um

but until such time as those changes are made or court says you don't have to follow those changes um you're kind of stuck with following them in the meantime. I'm generally um you know I came before the council when I wasn't on the council I think and on some projects and I was a little worried about the state pushing down these and I think at the time you know you guys were put in a position where you kind of had to do it you know and but I also recognize the fact that we do have issues with housing in our town and I think this town's been working hard at it. Um, I think with some of our announcement tonight, I think we can we can make a difference in that in a in a site that it really should be at. So, um, I generally support this, but I do have some questions as the town solicitor brought up about, you know, what this really binds us to, you know,

right? So, I guess I need to ask Portsouth um Dave is what besides passing the resolution to other communities um passing it on and seeing what they would what their input would be. Has spokman taken any action have has they met with the state any of the state delegation and said, "Hey, this is coming your way. We don't we're not comfortable with this and we're getting other communities on trying to get other communities on board to see if this thing can change a little bit before there's any type of I think we're probably I think I'm I don't want to speak for whole council. I want to support this but I'm not comfortable with the where we at right now where we're at right now with the legal action. Yeah. Because there's some unknowns there.

Of course, if you're going to say, "Yeah, I want to go to the state. We want to go to the state. We want to have a hearing on it and let's see where it goes from there." And if it doesn't go favorably or they don't want to budge, then hey, do you guys are you guys willing to join in any type of um uh legal action here?

Sure. I guess what I can say is our own general assembly delegates are not in favor of this because they want to appease Mr. Shakarsski and nobody wants to go against him. So we are going against him. our our council by coming up with this type of resolution. Correct. Um we have of the eight people, seven of them have have signed our our paperwork saying we support you in going forward. One has just done Bristol has just done their own resolution. If you don't feel comfortable with the paperwork you've provided uh that we've provided you to return back to us, you can come up with your own resolution if you feel you do that. There is no obligation at this point. The people that have signed in return and shown interest have been contacted by our legal our solicitors. We have two solicitors that work for us. One's a litigator. Uh Joe Larissa in Gio Sision is our solicitor. They have approached each town solicitor and started the talks. We have not come up with anything firm. We're not going to eliminate anybody if we're going to be we are going to be looking for some money. um it'll be very small amount of money and um that has not been determined at this point yet to proceed legally because we will we will need legal counsel.

So so that is still a gray area. We hope to have that cleared up on Monday evening. So okay, thank you Dave. So, what I'm I think what I'm hearing is is that uh because the state delegation doesn't want to sponsor this and bring it to um the House or the Senate, wherever it goes next, is is the recourse at this point is talking about legal action. Yes. Okay.

Yeah. And just to re refine that statement, we meet with our our local delegates every year and talk about things we'd like to pursue with them. And this was just we can't go there kind of topic with them, you know. So that's, you know, that's why we have not heard back from them. They they don't support us. They don't haven't asked any questions, things of that nature. That makes any sense. Yeah. Okay. Okay. I mean, I don't know why we just wouldn't they wouldn't put it on there. Whether they agree with it, if they don't agree with it, okay, let's put it out there and see what I think that's biting the hand that feeds you. No, no, I I get that I get that part of it. Yeah. Yeah. So, so, but that's the way it stands right now.

Okay. Thank you, sir. Sure. All right. So, I guess Peter, just a a question on that, Mr. President. I mean, I think you could probably just change some of the verbiage in there. You know, I don't think any of it commits you to spending money, but if you worried about that, you could change something in and say may joint including joint legal action were appropriate. And you know, you're not going to sign on to it until you know what the potential costs are, but you could definitely support it. I I don't see anything in there that mandates that you have to follow everything through. It's just that you're supporting this process of going through and looking into it and analyzing it. Okay, Peter, is that the way you read it?

Yeah. Yeah, I mean you're not committing yourself to, I guess, signing on to a lawsuit at this point or spending any particular amount of money, but was noted you you could if you wanted to, you could um once again depending upon whether you agree with all of these positions, you could draft your own resolution supporting the uh the effort, but Okay. So, let me ask the council this. Are you comfortable in its in the current with the current resolution before us tonight to support it or would you want the solicitor to draft our own resolution? I'm on Portsmouth's boss. You're on Portsouth boss.

I'm comfortable. Dennis, I don't want to put you on the spot, but I got to kind of get a feel for where we're going here.

Well, I definitely this has been on our radar for a while now. I mean, we've we've actually put in into our zoning a lot of the the ordinances that the state has passed down to us. I was kind of curious, what have we seen as the impact of that? I know the concerns are people are going to be building in single, you know, in single housing areas, maybe a duplex or, you know, things that don't fit into the neighborhoods. I don't honestly I don't I don't have it down to the each one of these completely understood but I you know I feel I know enough that I think you know supporting it going forward to get some more answers. I'm all for that. But I'm also saying that we didn't get here because, you know, we didn't have the flexibility. We I give you an example. We wanted to put we have these auxiliary units. I know everyone's concerned that auxiliary units are going to pop up everywhere and there's going to be issues. Well, right now, um, you know, we can do it. People have the right to do auxiliary units. Prior to that, it was called a in-law apartment. And to actually build an in-law apartment, you had to attach to the house. You put a kitchen in it. You had to go through the current infrastructure to get to the sewer lines and to the, you know, all your utilities. And then after the in-law left, you would have to take the kitchen out. That's that's what it says. But that's where we were. No one did it. So, we kind of asked for this because we haven't done anything in 20 plus years. We're getting a lot better. We've got projects now. We don't have shovels in the ground, but we're getting close. So, I would support it to further understand these rules and see what the

impacts are, but I'm not financially, you know, willing to commit at this point. Okay, Barbara. Yeah, I'm I'm just looking at um a specific point. Um number five is it says that the the town calls upon the general assembly to work collaboratively. It's it's not asking us to make a statement, you know, one way or the other. It's it's um it's resolving us to to act collaboratively. I don't see any harm in that.

Okay. Yeah, I I agree. Um I think we we've said this I think you've said this before, Paul, like you're taking the things meant for city area up in province and you're bringing it down here to Quinnick Island. And I I I don't want to give up on that. You know, we are I think as a town, we are doing more for affordable housing. We need to continue to do that because our comprehensive plan says that that we have a number of people that work in this town that are not even close to being able to afford to live here. And that's that's not fair. Um, including some of my 20-year-olds that I got to get out of my house, so I need a place for them to live. So, just joking.

But, uh, you know, it's it's a but I think, you know, again, I I generally I I reading that as well, too. I mean, all we're doing is saying like, you know, this doesn't fit us here and and we want something different, and that's all to me that this is saying, so I support it.

Okay. Thank you, Chris. Any input? It's it's it's pretty cut and dry and simple for me. Um, first off, thank you Portsmith for bringing it forward. Um, because in 2024 when we made all those amendments to the zoning ordinances we had, I I question those because it it seems like there was a heavy hand behind it and why have municipal government make decisions locally if the heavy hand's going to come down and do whatever the hell they want? Doesn't make any sense to me. Um, so thank you for bringing it forward. Again, I I think home rule is incredibly important, not just for housing, but for every other aspect of our community. I mean, we're going to talk about taxes. We have a resolution on nonowner occupied taxes, uh, aka the Taylor Swift rule coming up later as well. Did anybody not realize that that was going to have an impact on us either? We have to be in control of our own destiny in this municipality. So I'm fully supportive of this even if we have to take it to the next step.

Okay. Okay. So is there any further conversation? I know we have no one else like to speak, right? Okay. So we have a motion and a second to pass that res resolution. All in favor? I. Anybody oppose? Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay. Number 19. At the request of myself, resol in reference to resolution of the council in support of fully funding state aid to libraries to the full 25%. Motion to pass said that resolution. Second.

We have a motion, a second to pass said resolution. All in favor? Oh, discussion. Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself, folks. So, this one's on because basically the governor's budget doesn't fully fund the libraries and I just like to to read it a little bit and let you know what's at stake. So, um you know uh for this resolution for people lacking broad at home broadband at home libraries provide access to computers and Wi-Fi and libraries are cornerstones for dem of democracy promoting the free exchange of information ideas for all. Libraries are accessible and inclusive places that foster a sense of belonging and community. Today's libraries and their services extend far beyond the four walls of a building and everyone is welcome to use their resources. And the constitution of the state of Rhode Island in article 7 section 1 states that it shall be the duty of the general assembly to promote public schools and public libraries and to adopt all means which it deems necessary to properly to proper and proper to secure to the people the advantages and opportunities of education and public library services. And in recognition of the importance of libraries in our society, the state of Rhode Island passed legislation setting the level of state aid for library services at a minimum of 25% of the amount spent from local tax funds in the libraryies private endowment. And whereas the governor's proposed and here's where the rub is. The governor's proposed 27 budget uh funds state libraries fund state aid to libraries at 24.1%. So it's not fully funded at 25% which is $1927 less than the town received in in its current budget. Um and whereas the town

uh recognizes the importance of fully funding our public libraries and supports funding state aid to libraries at the 25% level. Um, and really if it was funded, the governor funded at the 25% level, um, that's an additional just shy of $7,000 to the town. So, that's important. I mean, that's a lot of money for a library to to not have, uh, full funding. So,

um, these two bills uh, at the House 7691 and the Senate 2812 have been introduced to Rhode Island General Assembly uh, in support of fully funding the uh, the library. So, that's what this is about. It's just the governor's budget is not fully funding the 25% which it should be funding and that's what we are requesting that they do. Um and again it's it's roughly about $7,000 that uh that the library would miss out on. So um Kim, did you want to say anything or

can you write that down? No, I'm just kidding. Uh any coun Thank you, Kim. Any councilors want to um have any questions or comments? No. Okay. So, I think this is these are the ones that kind of fly under the radar that uh that uh the library and the board of trustees and um they catch these things. Sean, they catch these things and you know we get them on the docket and uh we bring it to light and and see hopefully uh we can get fully funded. So, so any any further conversation hearing? None. All in favor?

I. Thank you so much. All right. Number 20. Uh, memorandum of town administrator refes resolution to initiate statewide advocacy for the 2026 education aid amendment. Motion receive said memorandum. Second. Uh, all in favor? I. Sean, I thought you were going to do this one too, Paul. Um, what's that? Thought you would do this one too since we had talked about it.

Yes. Um, one of the things just like Paul said, the state does tend to short change us in areas. Um, and what I'm recommending is as a resolution that we would send up to the state house, um, and that I would advocate for with our neighboring communities. Um, it's basically to add $15 million to the state appropriation education. Um, that would cover three areas and these three areas are highlighted in the Rhode Island Foundation's blue ribbon commission. Uh the first is high-cost special education. Uh in the budget proposed by the governor, only 70% of the state's obligation is funded in the current budget. Private school transportation. Again, uh this governor's budget only recommends funding 70% of the uh state mandate. Uh so we're asking for fully funding that. And then based on recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission, we're asking that a new uh uh categorical uh aid be added to the school funding formula, which is transportation for homeless students. Uh this is done in uh other communities up in Massachusetts, but basically the state um would be a partner in providing funding for students that are categorized as homeless under the Mckin Vento Act. Um right now under the federal statute, uh we have an obligation to provide them uh transportation from from where their their their true home is. Um which adds to our cost. Um you'll you'll see in the schedule actually right now there is no reimbursement that has to do with um use of the state transportation contract versus who we're contracted with. Uh that's something the superintendent is looking for. Uh uh but basically this is a resolution that that I would um shop around with our our our partners in the

state uh to basically bring pressure on the House and Senate finance to add uh $15 million to the budget proposal for education. Uh in the end, this would would benefit to the town of Middletown of an additional uh 200 plus $225,747. Um, and uh, this is something that the superintendent and I have reviewed. He's on board with it. Um, and I would ask for your support tonight to pass a resolution so I can get started on um, advocating for this these new dollars. All right.

Yeah. So, we'll go into the resolution here. Um, you know, as Sean said, it's uh when you add them all up and you break it down by, you know, um special ed, transportation, um next thing you know, I mean, it's 227,000 for the town, but it's 15 million across the state. So, you know, you can see how that compounds pretty quick uh when things aren't funded. Um so we need to make sure that uh we have a voice there and that we um you know whether it's private school, high cost of uh special ed, the the homeless student transportation is actually when you read it, it's for districts for services that are required under federal law. Um and it's not funded. So that's important that uh that uh we talk about these things and we bring them bring them forward and and and see what happens you know. So so let's go to the resolution of this um uh number 21 at the request of myself uh resolution of the council in support of amendments to the FY2027 state budget to fully fund certain education costs.

Motion pass that resolution. Second. Okay. Is there any further discussion? Okay, hearing none. All in favor? I. Anybody oppose? Okay. Number 22 at the request myself uh in reference to resolution of the council opposing a statewide non-owner occupied property tax. Motion to pass that resolution. Second.

Okay, we have a motion to second. This is u this is the uh Taylor Swift tax. That's what they're calling it. um you know, for u non uh non resident um occupied second homes um where 35% of Middletown's residential properties may be classified as non-owner occupied and more than 15% of Middletown's residential properties are assessed at over a million dollars. So, what they're saying here is anything over a million dollars is going to be a special tax uh to the state, an additional tax to the state if your home's second home is assessed and you're non-resident over a million dollars. So, so why do we say, hey, why are we getting involved here? So, the property tax burden on impacted properties in Miltown will increase an average of about 16%. based upon new state property tax. Um and really at the end of the day, the statewide property tax really undermines local authority to manage the impact of its really largest revenue source of its taxpayers. So um that's why this is on here. Um I'm not sure that uh it's um you know the nickname again is the Taylor Swift tax, but um um that's why it's on here. So Mr. Frank, we do have someone that like to speak on this Lawrence Frank O'Donnell Road from the resolution. Whereas seasonal and vacation owners are valued members of the Middletown community and contribute significantly to the property tax base and to Middletown and Newport County charitable organizations and the general economic economies of Middletown.

Each one of these qualities listed be could be attributed to yearround homeowners if they owned and lived in these seasonal and vacation homes. They would also pay property taxes and they would contribute to the general economies. Unlike unlike seasonal and vacation owners, they would also pay state income taxes. They would spend money year round supporting the local businesses and not just for a few short months during the summer. And let's not forget the crowding out of local residents from homes as wealthy are unconstrained in their purchases of houses with commensurate commensurate increases in property tax burdens. And let's not forget the declining school census in the face of over $300 million of debt for schools that will never be fully occupied without children whose families are no longer here from the resolution. 35% of Middletown's residential properties may be classified as non-owner occupied and more than 15% of Middletown residents properties are assessed at over $1 million. Really, is this something to be celebrated? Since when do we cheer? When do we cheer for the reasons that our local workers, our town workers cannot afford to live here? Common sense and decency are fast disappearing from Middletown's government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Frank. Okay. Anyone else? No. Okay. So, um, so we have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion? Any councils have any questions or comments? No. I do. Yes. So if the state charges this tax, does that prevent us from charging a non-resident?

No. Nope. It's on top of whatever we tax. However, from a policy standpoint, and I think this is the bigger issue is um this will sound, you know, it's not going to sound right, but it it erodess the town council's ability to raise revenue through taxes because when you raise taxes now, you need to consider that there's a group of people in Middletown that are also getting a a tax bill from the state. You know what I mean? You're you're they're they're scooping your your authority to levy attacks in the town of Middletown. um that money, you know, right now is is is targeted to go towards um housing programs, but there is no there is no offramp from that. It there's not a clear program. If we, you know, if the housing problem is solved, it doesn't there's no there's no metric at the state level that says this will end at some point in time. Um the money that's raised here is is not going to end up here. So, as far as this idea that we're we're going to help the local population, uh that that's not necessarily going to happen. Um I have been discussing this with communities in the state, it's it's communities like Middletown, Newport, Westerly, Block Island. It's it narrants it. The coastal communities are the ones that are mostly mostly impacted by this. And the dollar amounts are, you know, for the communities are are pretty staggering. But I I think to your question and point is um as you sit there on the deis, it it does take away your ability to to tax people locally because you have to account for this idea that if someone has that that home in Middletown, they're going to get a bill from the town and the state of Rhode Island. Um and I think I sent that out to the council. there there are um notices that the state have started sending out to homeowners about this this second tax

bill they're going to get. Um so it's again it it from a policy standpoint it doesn't make a lot of sense. Um so well it's definitely more taxes. I mean, every time you turn around, they're get there's more taxes coming. And you know, our non-residents, you know, we call them non-residents, but they're paying tax people. You know, they people come in and they stay for 6 months, you know, or, you know, they're considered a non-resident because they don't, you know, they do an STR, they're a non-resident. They're a non-resident if they don't live there, you know, year round. They just got hit with 30% increase from 7% to 30% increases. And people coming up to me like, "Dennis, how come we keep getting hit as non-residents here? We don't, you know, everyone's saying, well, they don't pay enough to go to the restaurants cuz they don't live here year round." Well, they're not impacting our infrastructure as much as a full-time resident does. And again, we go back to the housing issue. We keep taxing our people and we're not finding other revenue streams besides just going to the residents and the non-residents and hitting with taxes. So, this is just another tax and I'm against it. So, I'll vote for the resolution. Okay. Thank you, Dennis. Okay. Any further discussion? Do we have a motion to second to pass that resolution? All in favor?

I. Anybody oppose? All right. Thank you. So, uh, I promise this is the last resolution. Uh, number 23 at the request of myself. Resolution of the council of the council urging full funding uh, of the school housing aid program. Motion to pass said resolution. Second.

Have a motion, a second to pass. And again, this comes down right now to the governor's budget. Um, you know, he's not uh not fully funding education as they should. Um it's um it's anywhere between across the state 8 million to 15 million statewide. Um the school housing aid programs is intended to ensure that capital investments in education infrastructure do not impair uh municipal financial stability or local school operations. And you know with the lack of funding this will this will do that. Um, so I think it's important that again this is brought to light and that uh that um he's aware of that and that he knows how the municipalities feel if the council passes a resolution. Um, but again comes down to dollars and cents and not being fully funded. And you can see it's libraries, it's school, it's special ed, it's it's it's a constant flow. And if you don't fight back, next thing you know, it's just, you know, we that that burden continues to be put on on the residents of the state and in each and every town. So, um, that's why this is on here. So, any councils have any questions or comments? No. Okay. So, thank you for enduring all these resolutions. Uh, we do have a m motion to second to pass. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Number 24, the town administrative portion of the docket. Memorandum finance directors for town administrator in reference to library lease friends of the Middletown Public Library Incorporated.

Motion received said memorandum and approve said library lease renewal through June 30th, 2027 and authorize the finance director to execute theou to allow the Middletown library to operate the Friends bookstore at the Middletown Public Library. Second. We have a motion, a second. Um Sean, you want to just explain this a little bit?

Yeah. So on this one, um what the state has done is um so you have certain projects that are paid for with bonds like our our projects. You have other projects that are paid for uh locally from uh capital reserves and under the law they can be reimbursed under a certain period of time and and typically the state has reimbured those within a year. Um what the governor has done is he's underbudgeted the um the amount of money that's available and what he's done is taken advantage of a provision in the law that allows him to amvertise the reimbursement. So rather than getting something in a year, now communities are getting it in a over three years. Um it doesn't impact Middletown this year. Uh the reason I brought this resolution forward is uh my concern would be is if this was passed this year that someone would get the brilliant idea that expanding this idea would be beneficial in a future year um in order to create cash flow on the state budget or or or reduce the amount of funding. So, uh, that's why I brought it to the council's attention is I think we want the state to

No, we're not on library, are we? Are we on library? Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm talking to I'm like, where's he going with this? I'm sorry. I know he's going to come full circle. I was going to finish. Okay. Excellent. I'm sort of angry with the state. Um, I can tell and justifiably so. Go ahead. So the resolution, we want the resolution up there so that next year we're not impacted. So okay, this one's about theou the library. MOU at the library. Um I was thinking Mark was going to do that. Okay, we all have those moments.

Mark Mark is a great ambassador to the library and this the friends of the library. Um this is the library lease with the friends of the library. Um they mostly executed I think because um they need the lease to get um liability insurance uh renters's insurance for the uh the library. Um they are an incredibly valuable partner to the town of Middletown and to the library staff. Um and um this small area that they lease does tremendous things for our program and for the community. So I' I'd urge you to pass it.

Okay. Um, Deborah, does did you want to speak? Okay. Okay. I know you filled out a form and Tom leaned over to me and said I think she she only wants to speak if there's any questions, but I wanted to not to put you on the spot. I just wanted to make sure you had that opportunity. Okay. Any councils have any questions or concerns? We do this every year, correct? We do. Yeah. Yep. Okay. Okay. We have a motion um to receive and approve the library lease for June 30th, 2027 um and authorize Mark to execute theou at the Middletown Public Library. Second to operate the Friends bookstore. That's fine. So we have a motion to second. All in favor?

I Okay, thank you everyone. Tom motion to adjurnn. Second. All in favor? I