Town Council - Regular Meeting

Motion recess executive session reconvene and open session. All in favor? I I motion to seal the executive session minutes pursuant to section 42467. Riley Island. All in favor. All right. Thank you. Okay. So, we have a couple of zoning board interviews, couple of new candidates, which is great. So, let me just read it in and we'll get started in the order they're listed. It's uh um Tucker and then Joe. Okay. So, um number two, zoning board interviews. Uh Kendall Tucker Holmes and uh Joseph Mark. Motion begin zoning board view. All in favor?

I uh Wendy the tenants have a uh you have the list. I want to make sure you have the list and Okay. Excellent. Excellent. Okay. So,

how's it going? Doing good. How are you? I'm doing well, thank you. Okay. So, we'll get started and um just pretty simple questions and just, you know, answer them to best your ability and you know, we'll go from there. Okay. We're making a decision tonight later on after this, right? Okay. So, um the first question is why do you want to be on the zoning board?

Um I want to be on the zoning board because I want to have that um how um we fit for the comprehensive plan. Um I'm very interested in uh making sure that we have affordable and more more housing on the island. I think board that can have an impact on that. Okay. All right. Um, can I just ask you to raise the mic up? We're having a hard time here. Sorry about that. No, no, you don't say it, you know.

So, okay. What experience do you have that would qualify you to be a member of the zoning board? Um, so I've uh me and my wife own about five different properties on the island that we rent out to long-term uh tenants and um uh through uh that process. I've been through zoning uh zoning planning board meetings uh through Newport and through Middletown. Um, so I'm very familiar with the process, very familiar with different uh variants that people need to u go through and how to build housing uh that still fits our character but you know satisfies the need of growing more um housing on there.

Okay. Uh what useful knowledge or perspective from your own personal experience would you bring to the position? Uh again, um going back to that previous question, I you know have been through the development process, gone through um zoning applications before. Um my history here has been uh on the island for, you know, I've been born and raised here, so I've been here for a long time. U so um I think I've got that interesting perspective to bring. Um the other thing is that I feel like um my experience with uh living out in um um different areas of I've lived in California and North Dakota seen how you know development has happened out there pros and cons of um some of the developments that I've seen um you know the west coast kind of being a lot more pedestrian focused uh you can see in Seattle and Portland Oregon area a lot more pedestrian as a primary focus so u having that in mind when going through uh different things that the board has option to make a vote on. I can perspective.

Okay. Um, what would you like Middletown to uh I'm sorry. What do you think is the most uh important responsibility of the zoning board? Um I think the most important responsibility of the zoning board is make sure that any request is um following um or is not deviating too far away from the comprehensive plan. I think there are, you know, you come through on a uh creating ordinances that are kind of broad and you have not cookie cutter houses that are just, you know, 10 foot lot, you know, 10,000 foot lot, 10,000 foot lot. You have grandfathered in old housing. You have uh commercial commercial lots that are might be uh not uh according to the uh current ordinances. And so how do you u make decisions um that uh not put up you know huge skyscrapers or anything along those lines, but make sure that they're built with respect to, you know, our long-term vision of what middle town should be.

Okay. Um, what would you like Middletown to look like five years from now?

Um, I would like for there to be more um ability to get around the island through pedestrian uh travel, less uh cars uh on the road. Uh I think with uh the Amazon, the Uber Eats and all those in the world, we're going to see a lot more cars on the road, especially with autonomous vehicles. So, how do we incentivize um pedestrian travel? I also would like for there to be um more um access to affordable housing on the island um or um you know, housing of all income types. Um I have a lot of friends that have have had to move off island because they can't afford, you know, how do we you know, make some changes potentially to allow, you know, more commercial units to be turned into housing. Um, you know, anything along those lines want to be part.

Okay. What do you believe is Middletown's most important land use land use issue and how should it be addressed? Um, and I love that we have open spaces. I want to continue to keep on having open spaces. I think our biggest issue again is housing. Um I think uh um not again you know we have to do it in the right way where it does still fit within the community still has that rural aspect to it. How do we build uh that respects um you know the beauty that we have here? Okay. What ideas or suggestions do you have regarding econ economic development in middle

um keep on incentivizing uh small businesses, local businesses, uh keep on incentivizing uh residents to live here. Um got beautiful beaches, beautiful open space areas, you know, keep on incentivizing that. Um but yeah, keep on the small businesses and less big. Okay, probably the easiest question. It's the last one. Uh but it's important because you know you have to have to be able to attend meetings. So regular zoning board meetings typically take place the fourth Tuesday of each month starting at 6 p.m. and special meetings are called on um as an ad needed basis. Are you available to attend?

Uh yeah, currently I sit on the BPAC and so that is out of the fourth Tuesday at 6 PM. I currently tend to commission here in Middletown. is at that time. Yes. Is that going to be a conflict? I can't sit on the board and on the commission at the same time according to laws. Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Nice job. Thank you. Okay, Joe.

How are you? Good. Good evening. Good evening, sir. Okay. So, same questions, Banners. Um, why do you want to be on the zona board, J?

So, I'm a full-time resident. I have vacationed here since I was a child, first born with my family, staying at my grandparents home when I retired three years ago. Um, relocated here with my wife, moved into our home out on East Point. And it's an opportunity for me to give back, understanding a lot of the issues, the challenges we face in Middletown, but also recognizing what makes Middletown great. And I would hope that I could bring together um some experience and help and trying to balance some of those conflicting mandates along with what makes Middletown. Okay.

Uh Joe, what experience do you have that would qualify you to be a member of the zone? So, I spent most of my adult life um in New York City managing a very large um business and financial services um with competing interests um opposing forces, learning how to mediate, arrive at solutions that work for everyone um not always the way everyone would prefer. um also recognizing the risks, the opportunities and the long-term implications, you know, a lot of these decisions that we make. So my hope is to bring that experience, that industry experience.

Great. Okay. A lot of times lifestyle compromises, right? So what what useful knowledge or perspective from your own personal experience would you bring to the position? Well, personally, I am the sixth child of 11. So, the middle child's always the great mediator. So, you know, the ability to understand both sides of an argument and hold opposing views together and sometimes living in the humility of the tension of those opposing views and coming up with a solution is a more personal um aspect of what I think I bring. um on a more professional or practical level. I think my many many years of uh in in in banking, in industry, in finance, working with developers who faced a lot of the issues that we're facing here in Middletown will be helpful.

What do you think is the most important responsibility of a zone board member? Well, um, the way I understand it is we've got some judicial mandates coming down from the state. We've got the planning board, and then we've got the zoning committee who I think the role is to adjudicate on a property by property basis, what our our five-year plans are, also recognizing what these judicial mandates are asking us to do. So um you know playing a critical role at the very local level on a property bypropy basis and making sure that our strategy and our policies are brought together um you know cohesively. You know I I do think that um having policies um very clearly transparent to the public and the consistency is uh something that we do well here and I think that's what's going to be critical for us to be able to achieve what we're being asked to achieve. Okay. Uh, what would you like Middletown to look like five years from now, Joe?

A lot like it does today. Good answer. Um, recognizing that there are certain things that we're going to need to do that are going to change some of the elements of the way it currently looks. You know, there's traffic considerations, there's land use issues, there are, you know, the agricultural um culture, you know, that's so much a part of who we are. Um there's, you know, recognizing that we have to work also in tandem with the tourist industry that is so much part of Newport. It's part of who we are. And uh we're preserving what we have, but at the same time recognizing there's going to need to be some changes.

Um what do you believe is Middletown's most important land use issue and how should it be addressed?

Yeah, so I I think there's a number of them. If I had to pick one, I I suppose I think it's the you know the density issue and so based on the judicial mandates as I understand them if our housing stock is 7,000 we have to have 10% that's what the mandate is at 700 homes that we're at 350 we've got to find the 450 those aren't the exact numbers that's you know in theory that's kind of how it works so how do we get there um and that's a real land use issue Um, and I don't think any of us have the answer at the moment, but we're going to have to work towards it.

What ideas or suggestions you have regarding economic development in Middletown?

Yeah, I think um a lot of the job growth in this area is driven by government entities in a particular defense. So, these are not necessarily highpaying jobs. Um, so the housing stock that we're trying to build or we're being asked to build has to accommodate um that kind of workforce. Um, and we're being asked to do something that the market is not doing on its own. So, we're trying to help it along with these mandates that we're being asked to do. You know, generating economic growth here in Rhode Island is a challenge. Uh, we don't have a lot of big private industry in this area. I do believe that the small industry is probably the true growth engine. It is for the US economy overall. There's more jobs created in small business than there are in the large corporation. So to me, it's really about small business. How do we help people to be more successful doing that? How do we attract people that want to do it? Are there incentives we can do to bring people into town? make Middletown more attractive to other areas perhaps in Rhode Island, entrepreneurs and small business owners that are doing their business here. I think I think that's where the opportunity.

And uh D, last question. Regular zoner board meetings typically take place the fourth Tuesday of each month starting at 6 PM and special meetings are called upon as an un on as as needed as an unneeded basis. Are you available to attend them? Okay, thank you very much. Thank you. Appreciate it. Nice job, guys. Okay, we'll move right to the appointments. Um, number three is appointment of two members to the zoning board of review. One vacancy, second alternate and one vacancy, third alternate, uh, both terms expiring April 2027.

Have any motion? Yes. Okay. Any other nomination? Okay. Okay. You're alternating for the third alternate as well. Okay. So, we'll do you guys want to keep the same consistency in in the way we vote. What about the second? Yeah. Well, I think I think they both meant the second order.

Yeah. So, you're both for the second. Correct. Correct. Okay. So, Peter, obviously your vote for the second alternate. Okay. Dennis. Okay. Tom Marky. Uh, I'll go with Mr. Holmes. Okay. Chris. Okay. Mr. Marky. Okay. Excellent. So, Mr. Marky will be the third uh second alternate and Mr. Holmes. We need to make Okay. You want to do them individually? Just do it together. What's that?

We're going to do them together, but you want them individual. Well, no. You already you already Okay, you're right. Third the second alternate. So now there's an open position third that you need to move. No problem. So we have a motion to appoint Mr. Marky as the uh second alternate. All in favor? I Okay. And we have uh need a motion to appoint Mr. Holmes as a third. Second. Second. Okay. All in favor? I I think you both do a great job. Good luck. Thank you. Thank you. Wendy, will you be in touch with them on

Chris Costa? And there at this time, is there any special ethics training or we wait till we do that once a year? Um, we're going to I'll talk with Chris, but generally we sort of do an orientation session that will cover zoning code as well as the open meeting that Okay, good luck. Thank you. Okay, let's move on to Can we move or do we have to wait? Okay, so let's move on to town updates number four. Town administrator provide update on a town project, B school building project, and C library building project.

Motion to begin town project, school building project, and library building project update. All in favor?

Okay. Okay, so we all so library update. We're still planning the GMP in the start of construction for hopefully miday. We had to make some changes to the GMP with a redesign to the children's area which was recommended by Olis. Um part of that process is though we're aligning the bids. Once we get the okay, we'll start submitting the RTAs. Those are requests to awards based on the number of bids they have and we'll we'll assemble the GMP. Um finalizing furniture and flooring and color selection. And also we've started to receive donations and also awaiting word on receiving some grants. Project remains on budget. Again, we're five months off on the timeline. Any questions?

Um, Valley Elementary School Bentley is continuing the permit process. Construction that is for the project larger remains the same as last month. School department is in the process of selecting furniture, playground equipment, which will all go out to bid in the early fall. Some exploratory work was done over April vacation and we did a color sample car at a wall to see what the final look would look like. Um we have a good jump on packing items and removing items not going to be in the new building. So the whole moving process should be like it done in three waves. We go in, we take care of all all the low hanging fruit, the stuff that can go right now. We clear the deck for when we need to go in and do the big overhaul move. And the last phase of that will be going in back of that and cleaning it all up. So, we're in the process of accomplishing that first phase right now. We're off to a good start. We're purging what needs to go. Still working on getting the new water main to the building resolved. That's still going back and forth with Newport Water. And right now, Bentley is geared up for phase two when school gets out. The first two items will be the roof and the new elevator. Those will hit the the pavement first of of the things happening this summer.

Questions about Valley? We have any questions about Valley Elementary and again on budget on time.

Gilbane site work utilities is ongoing. Trenching for underground utilities. Transformer pads are being placed along with the ballards. Electrical and data duck is being backfilled and buried. Third party testing is ongoing in most phases. This is done on a daily basis. Concrete slab work is still progressing. Right now they're pouring for building C and one of the third floors is taking place. We're detailing the steel in buildings D and A. When I say building D8, that is the gym. A is the high school portion of the building. Roofing and fire spray fireproofing is in full swing. We are the second floor um has most of the interior walls up. So they're starting to frame the interior part of the building. They're laying the track down. Following that, we have mechanical, electrical, and plumbing all doing their roughing throughout the building. Um, again, furniture selection is in process. It's ongoing. Uh, they are delivering a number of pieces of furniture to the high school at the end of this week for us to demo. So, we'll get them there. We'll stage them in the gym and in the c I mean, sorry, in the cafeteria and on the stage, and we'll let the teachers and the staff go there and try them out. We'll have high school teachers, staff do it, and then we'll bring over Gord people to do that, too. Again, so a lot going on. Um, but while the building's being built, we're pretty much done to stage for the transition that's going to happen next next spring. So, we're way ahead of the game when that all happens. And again, on budget.

Okay. Questions? A quick question? Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Um, someone had asked me in regards to uh cameras, security cameras, cameras in the school. Yep. Can you talk a little bit about that what the extent of that is?

Well, we don't like to get too ind depth about the security plans and everything, but we just awarded or we're going to be awarding the security, surveillance, and intrusion, right? Security C access, surveillance cameras, intrusion. Someone breaks a window at 12:00 at night and the alarm goes off to one vendor. We've selected a great vendor, the Rhode Island based. They're the only people that actually own their own call center. Meaning, when I call them, I'm actually calling the vendor. I'm not calling to some place in Ohio or everything like that or some company that's asking whether I'm Middletown Connecticut or Middletown Rhode Island. The other thing with the camera system and the card access, and I talked about this at um Saturday's meeting, is we're we're going into platforms that will allow us to incorporate everything else that we like presently in the town or to expand what we have in the town. We have two great systems going in there.

Someone had mentioned, you know, in the school in open spaces in the school, in the auditorium, in the gyms, there are cameras throughout the building. Yes, there are. Okay. That may be absolutely thank

Yep. You're welcome. Thank you, Ed. We do have someone like to speak on number four. John. John, you want to speak on number four? Uh, you want to speak on public? Oh, you did. You okay? Because you filled it out for Listen, don't mess to ask the clerk. We don't I know that if Wendy says I belong there, I'm here. Okay. I'm going to be very brief. Go ahead.

John Gariano, 22 Wood Road, Middletown. Okay. I just wanted to bring up I it's probably an oversight, but there's a there's a form for these projects, okay, online. I'm sure you've all seen it. I didn't want to print out 3,000 copies, but I have a question. There's some good information here, but what's missing? Dollar amount of the budget. That would be very helpful so that somebody didn't have to look at this and then start going through everything else. It's only one column. If you want, I'd do it for you. Looks like it's and it's definitely looks like it's an in-house form, so it should be very easy to do. Thank you.

So, John, you're look, just so we're clear, you're looking for a dollar amount associated with what we're talking about here. The dollar amount of the the original dollar amount of the project and if you want to get really good about it, how much is spent so far? Because I keep hearing on p on, you know, on budget, on budget, on budget. I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but what is the budget? Gotcha. Understood. Okay. Thanks. Thank you, sir. Um, with the project updates, we used to have that. Actually, it was a dial. It would say where we were in the process. I can't hear anything. Right up.

I could. Okay. Is that better? There we go. new system. So, I think it's got to be a little closer. Okay. Um, we had that at one point which was here, you know, what was the original amount where we were at within the project. We were 50% done and we were 50% of the budget. So, it would be uh useful information. I would agree. Okay. Thank you. Testing.

All right. So let's move on to uh number five, excuse me, which is school construction memorandum of town administrator in reference to authorization of change order CTE welding program supplemental design services. Motion receive said memorandum. All in favor? I Sean I thought he was the other day. Yeah. So if we could continue this later in the meeting when he arrives. Yeah, we can do that.

Saw a shadow. I was hoping that was okay. So, we can um we can uh continue this till please. Okay. Do we need a motion for that? Okay. Go ahead. Motion to continue number five for a while till he shows up. Okay. All in favor? I. Okay. Let's move on to presentation number six, which is uh citation of the council in reference to recognizing Nicholas Kugan for his service on the open space and fields committee.

Motion to begin said presentation.

All in favor? I. Okay. Q. Okay, that's that one's a good one. Um Nick had resigned, sent us a letter of resignation resigning from the open space and fields committee a couple of weeks ago and uh we we wanted to make sure that we recognize him because present him with a a citation um and recognize the time and the effort um and the difference that he's made uh while he was on that committee. He's been on that committee better half of a couple of decades and that's a long time uh to be on a committee um and make sure that uh you know open space and fields is doing what it should be doing and and it's a lot. People don't realize what goes on behind the scenes until you're involved in it. So it's a big deal. So, we wanted to make a big deal out of it, Nick, as we could uh to give you a citation, bring give you a little gift, and then you can say any words you like, and uh we certainly uh appreciate um um your efforts. So be it hereby known to all that the Middletown Town Council hereby offers its sincerest appreciation to Nicholas Kugan in recognition of your dedicated and successful service to the town of Middletown serving on town boards including approximately 18 years of the on the open space and fields committee. The town councils extend their very best wishes in your future endeavors on this fourth day of May 2026. So congratulations Nick.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your effort. want to say I'll just say yeah thank I don't need the microphone okay all right thank you very much pleasure to be able to serve Middletown in a an area I'm passionate about I thank council members and past members who are no longer here John thank you very much for your helped over the years thank you for that phone call that told me don't ever put other business on the agenda again I learned I never I have not done it since No more angry phone calls. It's uh it's been a great a great time. I really appreciate it and u will continue forging ahead.

Yeah, we we would hope you change your mind, but it doesn't look like that. But uh I know it's been a long time. I came on board, but I was watching the news before going to a meeting before I was chairman. As I said in my letter, Donald Rumsfeld was Secretary of Defense. Yes. So, however long ago that was, it's been a while. Excellent. Okay.

Well, we appreciate it, Nick. and we're grateful for your dedication. So, best of luck to you. You're up next. Um, so let's go back to Number five, um the superintendent is here. So number five is memorandum of town administrator in reference to authorization of change order CT welding program supplemental design service that memorandum. All in favor? I. Okay. That's okay. No, you're actually you're actually on time. We're So I whipped up a one pager to try to summarize this for you to not belabor this but so we're looking for a change order. We've been focusing on creating a shared use manufacturing and industrial trades training center. Um so this all came from a study with Van Beurren um without us. They were doing a study on the island looking to identify workforce development opportunities um for guess it probably started with adults. Um they then approached us because they recognized that we have a up and cominging crime facility. Um they were

working with consultant who was a former PT director kind of a big name in this as far as developing programs at the time and we have since applied for I believe $150,000. So um We are, we talked a little bit about this the other day. This was a concern of the councils going way back when we were talking about building the school. A good opportunity is to not only have a manufacturing CTE program that we're already queued up to run. We have a manufacturing program right now, but don't have to go like three years with Ride to get kids in the queue. We have kids in the queue. An easy shift for us. Um, and it's a great opportunity. Um uh we've been working in consultation with electric boat. The whole idea is that we have the correct machines, the correct welders worked on, we visited and looked at ship fitting boots, actual booths with magnetic walls. So the kids mockups or sorry learn how to weld in that space. Um it ends up being a program that provides internships for seniors to go to electric boat and then the kids really have the prerequisite skills to go directly there. I think the number was 3,000 employees that this year the next 10 years 30,000 employees there's a need and it was so it was identified as a need. Uh we looked closely at this with them seemed to be a great opportunity aligned with Middletown aligned with the region. Um so basically with the design grant we've gone ahead you can see on the schematic I actually attached the second page is an updated schematic but I did make this one pager just so you can kind of get the gist of this we had the opportunity to train adults in the evening um which is of interest to elective vote and obviously again this is something that we've discussed it seemed like a great

opportunity you know use the school as a community center as well as training grounds for our kids that may be interested in more hands I think the change order specifically funded through the grant um of our we're exploring options for implementation but is also fun. So, we had a uh all day budget workshop on Saturday and and and the superintendent when the school was the school's turn to talk about budget. We talked you talked about this a little bit and know you said you're going to announce it today and and more to come. So, you know, um it's um it's a little bit of a change of a design which you is being paid for by the grant. Uh but now's the time to do it.

Now's the time. because yeah I think uh the door had to be changed at the last meeting. I think we approved that for this to happen. Uh but it's a great opportunity for kids to be learn you know another trade on hands-on and also um adults. Um I'm I'm I'm hoping and I know you're saying that but I'm hoping that it's I think we're all hoping that it's open to adults at night. give people an opportunity to maybe learn a trade that that might have passed them by or maybe they became interested in afterwards. And you know, it's really um it's really welcoming to hear that, you know, the the school will become more of a at night somewhat of a community center for these type of activities for it opens the doors for for a lot of individuals that desire to do that. Especially with that type of market, it could give us could give us a little bit of an edge here from a from a CTE perspective. Maybe a big edge

enrollment and enrollment where um it could be a somewhat and I don't want to look at it like this. I want to look at as an opportunity to build skills, but it could help off at least at a minimum offset some of the some of the um other CTE costs for our kids go elsewhere. So, I think that I think it could be a win all the way around. again building the design. Um the door had to be changed and something else, but Van Beern is uh certainly generous and and is really kind of you know great partners.

Yeah, great partner uh public partner private uh private public partnership here to uh I almost didn't get that right, but um that could uh really benefit the kids of Middletown um and other kids kids on the island. They could come from all absolutely not just Middletown. I think this that's one of the other things So we talk about declining enrollment an opportunity to draw people. Yeah. It's middle town in a great place.

What Billy? What type of um what type of costs we want? Always want to make sure and I know it's not cement it's not an exact cost but what's that total grant look like? I think it's important to explain that kind of just again it's not concrete but

don't quote me on it. Um but I think working with our consultant they're looking at anywhere between 700,000 $900,000 depends on the equipment. So looking at CNC milling mach all digital again this is all like industry we're building welding would be building welding booths booth they all come in expense but they're pursuing champion grants as well like I said is very seldom expresses an interest in going you know they like to fund the design of something but they want to know so we planned on that but they've also expressed the actual implementation because of the nature of it's an incredible opportunity that have this type of be able to like like anything else you want to do the job it will do the job you can have the equipment

the right equipment the right equipment and and having state-of-the-art equipment um backed by being this this being during uh donation That's unbelievable. It's impressive. What an opportunity.

We We went to a district out in South Central Connecticut. I guess feeds electric. We've seen the program in action at a high school. We've gone to New England Tech, which does have similar machines. Talk to them about it. Really seen what kids doing with this stuff. for a while. It's impressive. Like I said, I think it's a great opportunity for the the town.

So, this is good, Billy. Um, we we you guys design we designed the space to be flexible. Really, the cost is just the machinery. So, right now, what we're looking some changes in the design process. So that's what we're talking about, right? Well, yeah, just for for the most part though, the bulk of the we're actually we had a you look at that uh the second page I gave you the schematic. Yep. Originally on the right side of that, that was a small classroom that was designed to go along with that formulated shop. Y

um we decided to look at taking that wall down in between the two just because welding between the welding booths and the ship fitting booths. It actually required a little more space. At first we were trying to pack it in there spreading it out having the right number in there a little better. we have this process to your point some electric we have to add ventilation involved welding but realistically you're right this is the kind of the flagship corner lot if you will you know it's a corner building with an outside accessard right around it there as well I think it's a great

and outside of Does anybody have anything similar?

Nowhere near us. So that's part of the ride requirements. You know, you don't build something that your neighbor has. We're not trying to each other. So nobody has. I think that's why approve change order for CT welding program. Okay, we have a motion to approve the authorization order. How does that funding funnel?

So, in this case, VMUN is actually funding it, right? I didn't know if we fund it and then they funnel it through us or I don't think I've seen the contract yet. Okay. Ultimately, they'll fund it. Y Once we have that, that'll be specified. Foundation to work with. Okay. Excellent. Okay. So, we have a motion to second. Any further discussion? Great job. I think this is going to be a a home run. I do. All in favor? I.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. So it is past 6:30 we can start regular meeting in public forum. So number seven is pursuant to rule 25 the rules of council citizens may address the town one subject only that subject of substantive town business neither discussed during the regular meeting nor related to personnel or job performance. Um citizens may speak for no longer than five minutes and must submit a publication form the council clerk prior to the start of the meeting. All items discussed during this session will not be voted on. We do have a few. Okay. Can be

how you doing?

I'm good. How are you? Karen Bastry, 207 Maple Avenue. I've been serving on the Middletown 250th commission. Really enjoying myself. It's been a great experience. Um, just wanted to let everybody know that today, the 250th anniversary of Rhode Island's independence, that uh the commission kicked off historical site scavenger hunt. You can uh go on the town's website. From there, look for the 250 commission page and from there there'll be a list of events. There are multiple events coming up over the next few months. And the scavenger hunt kicked off today. And on that website, you can find a PDF you can download with the clues and the instructions on how to do it. And then prizes will be awarded July 1st at uh one of the events we have coming up to celebrate the country's 250th.

Thank you. On that 250th note, you know, I met with the uh president Bacon Newport. I wanted to ask him when I first met him through a mutual friend a couple years ago when he came here. He said, "Hey, is there anything I can do for the town?" So, when they were talking about fireworks for this, light bulb went off and said, "Hey, can we meet?" Because I wanted to see if he'd the bank would donate some money towards the fireworks. They did. They're going to donate $8,000 to the town for for some of the fireworks. Beautiful. Excellent. Yeah. Excellent. Going to be a fun spring and summer. Yeah, it will be. All right. Thank you.

Okay. Wendy real. Good. Good. Wendy real 48 Swan Drive. The town center was originally 15 acres with emphasis on community gathering, recreation events, and even a place for town meetings and concerts. And now it's been reduced to 4 acres, 144 room hotel design. The town center became objectionable business and commercial development site with total ris risk disregard for community promises made and broken by politicians and developers. Over the last seven weeks, residents have been given the opportunity to respond to a weekly question on town issues. Here are just a couple of them and they're just uh a small amount of what was gathered. It's random and it's just residents input.

Is this from the Middle Tower Island residence page? Um several different social um one question was if our town had a blank slate, what is the first thing that you would add or change? And the top six were more green space, a new town council. Ouch. Well, thank you.

Better roads, a better town center design, less hotels, and more youth activities for our children on the island. Another question was, "What is a challenge you think our town needs to address sooner rather than later?" Number one, out of a lot of responses was transparency from our town. Number two, trust in what our administration is doing with finances for our town. putting bonds up for vote, reducing taxes, and reduce spending were just some of those. Question three, and the last one I'll read, is if you could ask the town council, administrator, and the solicitor just one question, what would it be? Why was the town unable to find an accounting firm to do forensic audit of the school department when they inappropriately spent over a million dollars? How was the town able to go without contacting the federal government for permission before signing a development contract when it pertains to Potsy's Field and the development of a hotel for the town center project? As you probably learned by now, we're more than six. We're not noise and we're closer to a few thousand voices now. Residents are feeling unheard. The residents that you represent. We all own this town. every resident, business, politician, and we all want to see it thrive. But what it c what cost?

We're willing to work through all the problems and achieve solutions that serve all equally without undue burden. Thank you for letting me speak. Thank you, Wendy. Mr. How you doing? Okay, nice to see you again. You too. Lawrence Frank O'Donnell Road.

Recently, Senator Louis Dealama introduced legislation to remove restrictions on the sale of flavored vape products. The fact that we are having this discussion of this dangerous proposal at all tells you us how far legislators have roamed from the ideal of government in service to its citizens. From a December 2018 advisory from the surgeon general reports officially declaring ecigarettes youth youth among youth an epidemic in the United States. The surgeon general called for aggressive steps to protect our children on these highly potent products that risk exposing a new generation of young people to nicotine. From the American Lung Association, flavors coupled with youth friendly marketing directly drive the youth vaping crisis. Young people aged 12 to 24 are the biggest consumers of flavored vape products. Flavored vapes significantly accelerate nicotine addiction. From the CDC, flavored vape users take more puffs per session and are more likely to continue vaping long term. Nicotine is especially dangerous for teenagers as it can harm the areas of the brain that control attention, learning, and impulse control. from the University of California, San Francisco. In the US, rates of vaping are higher among youth than older adults. We know that vapes deliver nicotine exceptionally efficiently. The earlier you were exposed to nicotine, the more likely you are to become addicted, and that's true of all substances because your brain is still developing until you are 25 years old. Also from the University of California,

almost a decade ago, the average vape cartridge had the nicotine content of one pack of cigarettes, about 20. These days, popular vape vape cartridges can easily have the nicotine content of three cartons of cigarettes. 600. That would be from the Journal of the American Medical Association. In 2022, 65% of 18 to 25 year olds who currently use ecigarettes have never never been cigarette smokers. Now, the painkiller Oxycontton offers disturbing parallels to nicotine and vaping. In this promotion, the makers of Oxycontton claimed lower addiction risks. This was a lie. effects wore off in less than 12 hours and there was widespread abuse made by Purdue Pharma and owned by the Sackler family. It has been linked to over 900,000 deaths since 1999 with untold numbers of addicts addicts trapped by this drug. When Oxycottton became a national issue and a public relations nightmare, Purdue came up with a new game plan. It was called Project Tango. The plan involved a business strategy that would benefit from both sides of the addiction spectrum. Project Tango aimed to pivot the company into a quote end toend pain provider. Selling both addict addictive opioids and the medication to treat the addiction. Purdue's marketing solution was to offer addiction treatment drugs to those physicians who were now prescribing high volumes of Oxycontton. Project Tango was strategy quote to profit from the opioid addiction crisis they helped create. Which brings us to Louis Dealama and his

attempt to legislate the end of restrictions of flavored vape products. Here is Dealama's version of Project Tango. quote 10% of the sales of revenues of electronic nicotine delivery systems from those shops would be transferred to tobacco sessation programs. Securing reliable annual funding for smoking sessation programs ensures consistent access to proven interventions that significant significantly increase with success success rates. Pomp de Palama said it's like something right out of Purdue farmers tango playbook. Dama claims I don't walk away from anything controversial. This council has not been reticent has not been reticent in objecting to state legislation that they feel is not in the best interest of Middletown. Now would be a good time to apply that standard to DAPA's offensive and dangerous idea. Thank you. So, thank you, Mr. Frank. So, Peter, correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't we as a town several years back, four, five, six years ago, we ban uh flavored vapes and we we lost in court.

The town passed an ordinance banning the sale of flavored tobacco products that was challenged through a court which ruled that the state had basically preempted that area. Uh, and as a result, the town have any authority to legislate on tobacco that was solely goal of the state subsequent as Mr. Frank mentioned did put some restrictions in place on the sale of flavored tobacco products, but with there's nothing that we from a legislative point of view can pass at the local level. It all has to take not even if we put a resolution together and we can always do that.

We can do that and share with other towns even though we lost that doesn't matter. We can No, you can you can you can certainly take a position uh and make the the general aware of is thank you. Okay, Teresa.

How are you? How are you? Good. Spangler 132 Pekka Lane Middle obviously. Um, one quick thing I just want to mention as a school committee hat. Um the advantage of a CTE program like that not only will increase our enrollment but it also will incre increase revenues for our students which is a great thing you know it's bringing students from out of placement out of districts will be a really good revenue resource for us. That's what I said I was maybe offset. Yeah.

Exactly. Yes. I I think that that's going to be a very attractive program for people because other districts not just on the island we have the the potential of Pivan North Kingtown, South Kingston. I mean that's it's it's a good it's a very good program. So we're very fortunate to have the Van Van Beern involved in that. Okay. I have two things I want to talk about really quickly. One is the um the hotel in regards to the Middletown Center. Um just a couple of things that I have big concerns about as a a lifelong resident here. It's going to increase traffic with 144 rooms. We already have a traffic issue on our main roads. What about what is going to happen with our water and sewer and road infrastructure challenges? We've had issues with our wastewater pumps already. We've had to spend a lot of money on these. This is going to put a lot of strain on on those areas as well as police and fire. So 144 rooms is going to bring in 144 cars and typically one and a half persons per room. So we're going to increase traffic, we're going to increase bodies, we're going to increase potential drinking and driving and things of that. The next issue and

just really quick.

Okay, thank you. I did not know that. Um the other quick question is um I wanted I mean the other comment I wanted to make was about Sweetberry Farm. The person who purchased this land is not a full-time resident and apparently waited a year to bring this big development upon us. Sweetberry is a res residential neighborhood where you just spent thousands of dollars on a brand new park for our children, for our neighborhood children who walk and ride their bicycles on the narrow roads of Whopping Road, Third Beach Road, and and Mitchell's Lane. We have no sidewalks. There is there is around that area. That's correct. Around the park, but not beyond that. This facility will increase more traffic. Delivery trucks will come from East Main Road. They'll cut down to Mitchell's Lane. They'll cut up through Whooping Road. These roads are narrow already. Bringing in massive delivery trucks and um food service trucks, things catering trucks is going to be a big issue in that area. Not only will it increase because we already have beach traffic going down those roads. Not only will it increase the track to trailer deliveries and car traffic, but also a very high risk of drunk driving traffic after large events. Is it going to take a death for the community to understand, for the council and the planning board and these people to understand that those neighbor that's a residential neighborhood? I hope not. The development is is large. 26,000 square feet is a very large structure taking out all the natural resources that we've already had that Sweet Berry Farm was was has been created for. It will impact the neighborhood wells. Where are they going to get water? It's not a we're all in well and septic in that entire area of the east side. What are they going to do for a septic septic system? What are they going to do for storm water runoff? I know we have noise ordinances, but loud music will be happening several times a week. Weddings

were Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday all summer long. I saw in their their schematic design that they have 36 parking spaces. How are they going to support a 200 plus person weddings and events? Doesn't make any sense. The point of Sweetberry Farm going into a land trust was to preserve it. Taking out hundreds of fruit trees and other produce to build a 26,000 foot venue in the middle of a residential area is certainly not preserving open space in Middletown. I am not against development, but this is going to be a very large facility and overall will be detrimental to the area. Our taxes keep going up, but we are losing our neighborhood. We're losing open space because wealthy people come in from out of state and buy all this property up. This is not going to be support for the local comm for the local economy because renters will bring it because renters will be coming in from out of town. I just want to say again I'm not against development what they have there. If somebody bought somebody bought that they want to come in and they want to put a venue up. I understand that and respect that. But it needs to be reasonable. You have to understand where that's located. It is a very residential neighborhood. 25 mph speed limits. You can't have a police officer out there every single time. But can you imagine somebody pulling out of there and killing a kid riding their bike out of Howland Park? How is that going to make us feel as a town? It won't make me feel good. And as a as a council that would approve this, I just really encourage you to think long and hard, please.

So, just for the record, we're certainly not passing the buck. Has nothing to do with the town. Nothing. This is an agreement. It does not come before us. It doesn't

goes before. That's where we're getting a lot of emails and we're trying to respond to them many as possible. Does not come before the council. If it was a zoning change, then it would have to come before the council. Goes before planning and if planning approves it, that's it. The real the real issue is it's a private piece of property that has an agreement, a previous agreement with the land trust. So, has nothing to do with the town council. And again, if it did, I'd be the first one we'd address it. But does not and a lot of people don't know that. So when I saw I didn't know that.

And when I saw when I grabbed the paper and saw your name and saw you was want to speak about, I said, "This is a good opportunity to kind of clear this up and start to get this out there. This does not come before this this body." So when the So help me understand. I'm sure the public would like to hear this, too. I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking about this. I thought that when the planning board approved something, it had to come to you for final approval when it came to something of of this magnitude. This all just is they have the decision. It's a development plan review application which goes to the planning and they have the final decision no matter what. Okay. Yeah, that's good to know. I think that a lot of people

No, I'm glad I'm really glad that you came and started to talk about this again because it was an opportunity for us to we've been we've been answering emails had a long conversation with a with a longtime resident the other night on the phone and she said I said listen we're not passing the buck but this does not come before I didn't know well there's a planning board hearing I just found out tonight on Wednesday 13th correct I think is that correct 6 I believe that's the date. I think it's the date. So I have another question then for the town center. You have final say over that. So what's the difference of that development versus

it's town and and that one involves reszoning. So a reasonzoning goes to planning board first then it comes to the council decides whether to the resition. This is a private piece of property the proposed private development which depending upon planning these days most of these larger projects they don't they do not so this the only the only time it would come to the council that there was some request

so even though it's farmland it doesn't cons that doesn't call for reszone to put the town because it's not farmland owned by the town and the conservation easement on the property is between the property owner land conservation on the property might not so when you were talking about reszoning it the property you're talking about the town center has to be reszoned and that's why it would go through that process correct Okay. I'm just trying I'm not trying to ask a lot of questions. No, no, listen. Listen and the the information has to get out there.

I think that's important for a lot of people to understand because all of the talk that's going on in my neighborhood, people did not realize that. So, that's why I came to talk. So, I'm I'm glad that that's very good clarification. I think maybe Matt maybe you could write something up on that.

I think he's typing it up right now. Um but but Teresa, just so you know, um we were getting bombarded and we still are somewhat with emails and so we're trying to respond respond as many as we can and Sean had Peter actually take a look at it just to make sure that you know we could answer some of these questions. Looked at the agreement that uh from the land with the land trust and that had they had with the eards. So, so, um, Sean or Peter, if you want to explain that a little bit, um, so that the public's clear on that as well.

Um, well, as I said, that property uh has a uh conservation easement on it. Um, that allows certain uses. It allows the construction in this area, certain buildings to support agricultural use, farm stand use, etc. Uh, that agreement is between the um land trust and the property owner. Um we've taken a look at it um are taking a look at it to make sure that independently and and the uh my understanding is that the Quinn Land Trust has had their council review it to make sure that what's being proposed complies with terms of conservation. We're taking a look at it independently to make sure that we agree with that. So that agreement was made when they sold the property to this new owner. Is that my answer?

No, it was it was the agreement that was in place when the property was st sold to the Echo that they could build something like that that this structure could

which is which is not unusual with conservation easements. you know, you're you're you're restricting the use of the property, but you're usually reserving the right to do certain things, whether it's build structures, make certain use of the property. Uh conservation, there are two conservation needs. One uh covered this particular property, which is subject to this application. They did reserve certain rights, build structures, build a farm stand. So it's not considered commercial property because it's under the conservation. Is that correct or

No, it's well it's not commercial property because it's in the residential zone. It's an agricultural use. Um but you know there are things that are prohibited by the conservation museum. There are other uses and structures and things that are allowed.

Yeah. And she said, "Well, this is interesting. A couple residents I had conversations with, you know, I as I thought about it more and the more conversations I had, I thought and I said to a few of them, I said, "Well, let me ask you a question. A lot of people get upset when you mentioned it earlier. You know, people from out of town come in with deep pockets and then all of a sudden they want to change things." And um, you know, I said to a couple of them, I said, "Well, what if the EOTS wanted to do this? Would you have the same objection?" And the answer of two out of three was no. Oh, see, I'd say yes. Yeah, I'm sure everyone's different, but you know. Yes, because I live right there and those drunk drivers are going to be driving up my street.

Right. But anyway, I'm glad you brought it up. Thank you for bringing it up because it gave us an opportunity to kind of clear that up and you know, we'll answer as many emails as we can, but that's pretty much how I'm responding is it's not So, the council has no control over like noise, but you have noise control. private piece of land that's not being reszoned and has a conservation easement on it agreement with a private land owner. There are certain things, you know, the town has if if there are noise issues with something that's going on on the property, we go to ordinances and other things that be enforced like Kempars, I would think.

But in terms of the review and approval of the proposed application, that is something. Okay. Right. Well, March 13th at six o'clock here for the planning board. Just making that public. So, this room is packed. Um, I just want to make sure speaking of that that I would hate for everybody to show up and not be enough room and have to cancel the meeting. Well, we'll uh I think that's something before that. I think so. I think that would be helpful if they're going to move it to go or something like that. I mean, I just heard a lot of people are planning on

I'm sure they are. Um it's a big deal because they only have one meeting. Is that correct? They only have one hearing before it. Well, there's there this is um initial meeting I believe it's on approval. Uh and it once again depends upon whether the planning board gets what they need and that people further hearing It's scheduled that night.

Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Just the other piece is that there is a prior zoning decision um that talks about the use of the another reason property owner back when farm was established those uses were you say that a little louder I can't

the zoning board the zoning board when when the farm and the the use of the property was defined. It was done by the the zoning board back when Echart started the farm. So when you talk about how the farm is being used and things like that, that that had been reviewed by the zoning board, that also is a basis for how they're able to uh submit this application and only have to go to the planning board, not have to go to the zoning board or any changes in what's happening out there. It's it's another piece uh again that we're aware of. But um you know these are all rights that have been retained by the property owner.

Peter in your opinion the town or residents have any recourse. Well they always have recourse. You can go to the planning board. You can make your opinion known uh as to what's being proposed. Um and then if someone's unhappy with the uh whatever decision that the planning board makes, they have the right uh to appeal that decision to the superior court. Okay. Thank you. Let's move on to the um we need a motion to uh motion act as border license commission. Have

a motion to second act as border license commission. All in favor? I. Okay. Acting as a board of license commission number eight, application Newport Creamy Restaurants, LLCDBA, Newport Creary Restaurants, 208 West Main Road for a class BV liquor license for the 2025 2026 license and year. This is new. This requires advertising for public hearing and notice to abutters. Motion to receive said application advertise for a future public hearing and notify butter.

All in favor? I. Okay. So Wendy really Yeah. I mean, you're sitting there sitting there at one o'clock in the morning. Let's go. Okay.

Yeah. Well, Shannon, just give us a sec. We're going to finish this one and we'll be right with you. Go ahead. Yeah. So just on the application, this is new. Yes. And is there available license for this? Have available license. Okay. All right. Excellent.

Thank you. Okay. Okay. So, we just have to uh we have to vote on this last issue. So, we have a motion and a second to receive said application and advertise for future public hearing. All in favor? I. Okay. Town council. We

have a motion to second to reconvene as town council. All in favor? I Okay, Shannon.

I'll keep it very quick. Um, good evening, counselor. My name is Shannon Lejo of 110. Do you mind, Excuse me. Do you mind just speaking into that? I'll lift it up a little more. Is that better? Is this any better? Um, I'm here to respectfully and formally better. Okay. Public speaking is not my thing. So, all of this very daunting. Listen, you just relax. We're no different. Might sit a couple feet. I don't know. But that doesn't matter. Just take your time and relax.

Okay. Stumble on a few words. All right. So, I'm here to respectfully and formally information right here. Everything in here came from either the Middletown Police Department,

Middletown Police Department information, public information request. Um, everything is either from Middletown Police, the Department of Transportation, or is otherwise cited. Um, there are four sections here that I will very, very briefly outline because I know I only have a couple of minutes, but I wanted you to have the information because I think everyone here will find it compelling. In this packet, I've outlined the very clear anomalies in the speed camera data. And what you see here are what's considered proportion beyond reasonable variance. Something to remember when you look at this is they are impossible to be random and they are indicative of a system not working as intended because when the least traveled road produces nearly four times the violations. This inverse relationship is statistically indefensible in the context of safety. All statistical anomalies like we see here always warrant an immediate investigation. So right now what we're looking at is very clear and possibly damning evidence against the town. This is not a threat in any way. This is my observation and you can come to your own conclusions which is why I wanted everybody to look at it. Now I do know the town's defense. We meet minimum state compliance according to statute 31-41.3 for signage respectfully. Knowledge, inaction, and profit is something called knowing conduct. And it would appear that this situation may meet all three. And being in compliance with minimum state law is not a defense against it. And because approximately $291,000 came out of the heart of this community in the dead of winter for a single

camera and the outcome was very predictable. I do believe our constituents deserve an explanation on how this happened. Right here counselors is common knowledge and traffic safety. This is common knowledge. Traffic safety signs produce signs produce zero reduction in speed, especially on welltraveled roads. It's common knowledge. Signs do not break human habituation and it's all documented here. Which means our children are still in danger because people are still speeding. And if you pair this with a speed camera, it's only after months and months and months of speeding that people slow down. The town makes a killing overnight and gets to claim glory in the end after the debauchery because look, we slowed people down. counselors. What they failed to tell you is that according to the scientific and peer-reviewed literature right here, this is the established national safety standard is that installing a flashing beacon with or without a camera is actually the single most effective way to slow people down, making our children safer immediately. without a fine to a single member of the community and with lasting behavioral changes occurring 12 months after installation. So what this tells us counselors beyond a shadow of a doubt this system on Purgatory Road was never ever about safety and it would appear that this town did it guilt-free because every

single person in here knows there's no kids on that road. I've lived on it. I sincerely hope this isn't the case, but please let that sink in. Unfortunately, this isn't the town's only problem. Here we have the publicly posted guidance stating to residents that we would know the cameras were active by orange flashing lights. This is the town's acknowledgment of the acceptable and scientifically supported safety standard, the national standard. Then the day after I posted this guidance on Facebook, someone quietly removed it without acknowledgement, without an apology, apparently hoping to hide behind, but we're we are compliant with state law. This is hardly an administrative oversight. It raises serious legal concerns around due process and the council's duty to provide accurate public notice. Legally speaking, I believe these are all legitimately persuasive arguments. Morally speaking, I find it all very disturbing. So, I have three requests to this council. One, please refund all of the tickets at the Purgatory Road camera respectfully. two, re-evaluate this program and its true intentions. And three, make damn sure it's about the safety of our kids and not exploiting residents, which means flashing lights are not optional. They are the standard. It's cameras that are optional and unnecessary when flashing lights are present according to the data. I know I'm out of time and I want to thank you for listening and getting me in and I'm sorry about my mess up.

Does anybody have any questions? I did put a lot of time in this. Yes.

But timing is pretty good because we had the all day budget meeting on Saturday and the police department was here and some of that discussion flowed into these cameras um and some of the revenue that was generated and that wasn't the purpose although it looks like it. Believe me, that wasn't the purpose, Shannon, because when we get a lot of complaints in the past, not just Purgatory, but Paradise, Third Beach Road, Forest Avenue, um some of the other school zones and other areas in town where um we've done traffic coming measures, not just targeting or looking at I shouldn't say targeting, looking at one specific road of somebody's complaint on they take a whole we took a holistic view of it. So when we did that, um they were looking at cameras and they were looking at cameras in every school zone and by state statute I think it's um within a be within a quarter of a mile of of the school.

So I called um I had a counselor call me, Dennis had call me um uh a month ago and said, "Hey um I'm not sure there's proper signage over there. Have you seen it?" I said, "I have not um but um I'll find out about it." So, I called Sean and Sean wasn't available at that time. So, I called the police chief and I said, "Hey, Jay, have a few questions." And it's about some residents complaining about um the signs and the the cameras on purgatory. Um and so he explained the whole thing to me. It's like, "Hey, look, there are there is proper signage there, those big ugly signs. Um, and there has to be four on each each each approach.

That's not the national standard though. Understood. Okay. Um, but this is state statute. So, going back to the budget meeting, I said um, one of the things I brought up was one of the complaints was exactly what you're saying. People are used to, including myself, seeing the flashing lights, but your guidance online published that until March 19th. Yeah. So, well, that's what we followed. And we didn't see any orange flashing lights, right? So, and there was 10,000 tickets as a result. Understood. Well, warnings then. So, I'm not sure if you're aware, but I've seen online residents were complaining about all the speed limit, all the tickets are 31 miles an hour. Yes. AL also statistically significant. Correct. But

I've outlined that trigger. It doesn't trigger a ticket until 31 miles an hour. So, it's a 20 until you go 31. That's when you get a ticket. Now, some of them could be worse and they're not. So, my message is it wasn't done intentionally. It was done to slow people down because some of the same people that complained, Shannon, I'm not saying it was you. Uh, we need traffic going slower. Some of the same people, they're getting tickets now. They're complaining about tickets. So, I say slow down. I understand statistically what you're saying. I think that needs to be looked at. Um, but it wasn't done intentionally like that. May seem like that and it wasn't. It did not generate that much revenue. So, I think you guys are just doing the math. It based upon the number of tickets.

I would like to see the receipts for the lights not going up on that camera because this is a very predictable outcome. Um, if there is like a record of why they didn't go up and who was holding things up, I think that would be very telling. Well, they've been indefinitely in repair for six months. So, right. the six months is a long time and this is a predictable outcome knowing and it's obvious in the data which could also be interpreted as intent.

And when I called the police chief that day and asked about signs and the statue and so he said that initially it was a 60 or 70 grace period signs went up stop people noticing them and and hopefully they would slow down but you're saying that doesn't help. So, it doesn't um clearly vendor made a mistake in the time on the sign. So, that's where the time took to be able to get them to repair it. Why it took them so long, I have no idea. But they're still not working. Okay. So, I don't know. I didn't know that. I I thought they were working. Have never worked. Um Okay. They've never worked. I drive I live there. No.

Okay. And there's clear evidence. Um, there was actually a control run between the two, eastbound verse westbound that I've outlined because there's also a disparity between eastbound westbound travel. And the difference is that one has a working digital sign and one does not. And that is a 50% disparity which correlates exactly with what the data is telling us. So, it is a big problem. And because I got 17 tickets at this camera, everybody now feels the need to tell me when they got a ticket. And I know it's still happening every single day because people are coming to me. A woman handed me $20 at FedEx while I was printing these packets out and said, "Go get them, girl."

So, thank you very much. There was someone that got 17. I didn't realize that was you. There you go. I I almost opened tonight with I would like a refund for my 17 tickets, please, but my daughter told me not to do it. You get charged. Do you pay a fine in all 17 tickets? Um, I paid seven. Thank you. Okay. Um,

consent calendar. Thank you, Tom. So, let's move on to the consent calendar. Are there any councils that would like to take any items off of the consent calendar? Yes. Number 11. Number 11. Okay. Motion to approve the consent calendar with the exception of number 11.

All in favor? I. Number 11. Let's read it in. Memorandum of Paul A. Crochi, chairman, Middletown Planning Board in reference to proposed amendments to the Middletown zoning co code, town code chapter 152 to address legislation adopted in the 2025 session of the RARI general assembly, including bills House Bill 5796, House Bill 5797, House Bill 5798, proposed amendments to zoning ordinance sections 400, 602, 603, 604, 720, 28 and adding new section 731

motion to receive said memorandum and advertise for a future public hearing. All in favor? I Dennis.

I was just I don't know if didn't see Paul so I don't know if he could speak on it or if Ron can maybe speak on this item. Good evening. I'm doing all right. Um, so this is the uh next round of zoning amendments that have been proposed as a result of legislation adopted by the general assembly in the 2025 session. The um the amendments that we're proposing are those necessary to bring town ordinances and regulations into conformance with state law. Um there's very little discretion on on the part of the town as to whether or not we have to follow the amendments to state law. So what we're doing is uh opposing the amendments to you. They bring the non-regulations into compliance with state law. These items are already on the books, so to speak. Town's already implementing the changes to the state law. It's just bringing the town ordinances into into conformance with those changes. I can go through specifics of each of these if if like now I don't there's a lot of these changes and if people want to read about them you know come to the site and take a look at it but you know last council meeting boardsmith was in here asking us to join them in you know opposing these changes. Is that right? some of these changes I guess is where my question is meaning I don't know

that that's correct I I think there was we supported resolution on the first round those were pages that had previously been corrected

no but it was the same general principle but it was specific couple years ago. Okay. And are you seeing other communities implementing these into their zoning? I haven't been checking to see if other other towns are doing this. Um I assume that other towns are doing what it's being required of state law. Okay.

I know Newport is having work there, but As Ron mentioned, we're essentially enforcing these new rules because part of the state zoning enabling actively so they're not in our zoning currently. We are making these changes to put into our zoning. So if someone comes in wants permit or something, does the zoning board make a decision or the planning board make a decision based on the state law as of today? It's ours is not updated. It's okay. Thank you.

So let me ask a question. So what if the town said, "Hey, you know, we're tired of this. You know, we're tired of you telling us what the town should look like." Correct. Without the first solicitors together.

Understood. I I understand that. I understand that. What happens if we just say we're not doing it?

You're asking You're going to approve it, but you're approving it state prevailing set of rules. If you deny a project that would be allowed under current state law and they can appeal that probably would be a successful top of that way to challenge these things. Can you just pull that a little closer?

The way to challenge it if something the council wants to do is either with the general assembly or by court challenge. That is what Portsouth has proposed. So though we haven't seen yet what the nature of that challenge would be. So determine whether we think it that would be viable. I think the intent of this is is is good but I think it's over the top. It's you know there needs to be more of a balance in my opinion. So but I mean we understand we have to follow it. That doesn't mean we can't challenge it. Thank you.

Thank you Ron. Okay, let's move on to licenses and permits the 17. Application of Diggity Dogs LLC DBA Diggity Dogs 40 Valley Road for vision house license for the 2025 2026 2026 licensing year. This is new motion to grant said license subject to building official fire marshal board of health. Have a motion to second to approve. Wendy, they've met all the everything they need. Okay. Based on the based on these approvals, yes, they'll be getting all of those approvals.

Okay. Is there any discussion on this motion to second? All in favor? I. Anybody oppose? Number 18, communication of Benjamin Wood and Jonathan Kaufman. Fire and water concessions incorporated in reference to request for extended optional hours salties at Second Beach. Motion approve the request of fire and water concessions SB Incorporated holder of the contract with Satress beast concessions for an extension of concession operating hours extending the hours to 8:00 p.m. and authorize a finance director to execute said contract amendment.

Have a motion to second. Um so it just says on select days. How do you know what that is? It's just it's kind of a wide open there. Anybody here for this? Anyone here? No. Will is supposed to be here? I mean, I know we did it. Didn't we do it last year? I could ask you to continue until shows up. I mean, I just had that question. I don't know if anybody else is with it.

Just wanted um I don't know. Just kind of want to know what what do they what they think. If it doesn't matter because it's the council then you're not doesn't bother you then bother you 63 is coming. Oh yeah. Okay. So is a question you guys. is okay continuing if Will comes. Okay, let's continue to continue.

Yes, please. Motion to continue item number six or whatever it is 18 until Wilshshire. All in favor? I. Let's move an ordinance number 19. An ordinance of the town of Middletown. This is the first reading in ordinance a members of the ordinances of the town of Middletown. Town Code Title 3, Chapter 34, Taxes, Section 34.70, entitled Tax Classification System, is amended by deleting subsection 34.70A 1F. Motion to receive said ordinance on its first reading.

Motion is second to receive, but we do have Don Warren that would like to speak on this one. So, I believe your group has done some work on this, Don. Yes, sir. Don Morren, 549 Turner Road. Thank you, Mr. Town Council President, members of the town council for allowing me to speak. Um, as you know, um, I chair the tax expiration committee and we brought this ordinance change recommendation to you. Let's pull that a little. We got to we got to look at this system. Okay. Sorry. It's not as Does it come closer or no?

Um, I I mean it I'll get it's working now, right? So, um, as you know, I came in March recommended to make this ordinance change as part of the tax exploration committee's work. Um, so I'm certainly encourage you to approve this tonight on its first reading, but I just wanted to bring up a couple of different points. Um, during our meetings, we did have several residents come and let us know that they were actually surprised about the ordinance change March of last year. they were kind of caught off guard when they got a letter saying they didn't qualify for the resident rate. Um so um I just would encourage you when I'm assuming you're going to approve this in two weeks somehow communicate it broadly um for two reasons. One um there were some people that um were not that didn't receive the rate but they only apply for the resident rate once every three years and we did that last year. So, if there were people who didn't apply because they didn't think they qualified and they don't know we make this change, they won't apply again because they're not going to be asked to apply again until 2028. So, I'm just thinking we can never overcommunicate. I know Mr. Sheileely does a great job with communications, but somehow to broadly communicate this, maybe even targeting those that were denied, you know, specifically. Um, I don't know what it looks like. Um, I mean, I can reach out to George and try to figure something out, but I just want to make sure that those that are eligible to get the rate get it moving forward. That's all. Whatever we can do to overcommunicate that. Um, and if you need my help, just let me know. But on just on a related note, um we brought another recommendation last year about the veterans exemption and I wanted to thank the town council, town administrator and our local delegation up at the general assembly because they

just approved that last Tuesday. Um, so, um, you know, that was another recommendation from last year and I remember when I was here in March, councelor Roberts asked me, you know, how many people might this might be eligible for this and I have no idea. So, this is something maybe we can also communicate at the same time that that legislation passed last week. It's on the governor's desk for signature. Um, just some tax relief for some of our residents. That's all. Thank you.

Please explain the veterans that just passed. So the vet veterans that you know Sean can probably do a better job but basically there the Rhode Island general law has certain conflicts that people can are eligible for the veterans exemption. And what this uh legislation did it joins Jamestown and Charles Town as two other districts that allow any honorally discharged veteran to take advantage of the veteran exemption. That's essentially what is it's actually in the newspaper today. They give credit to our two local representatives for getting that passed.

Sean called a uh veterans exemption passed not just like you said not just for specific complex all complex all veterans eligible for that exemption I think is a great thing brought that brought that up. So sometimes those ideas they do they do go they do go places you know. So, thank you for bringing that up and thank you for exploring that. I want to thank you for testifying. Okay. So, we uh we're going to receive this on its first reading. Uh any comments or questions? Okay. We have a motion, a second to receive this ordinance on its first reading. All in favor? I. And I agree, Don. We need to uh John, we need to and and Matt, we need to make sure that we we can't communicate this enough because I still run into residents here and there that you know we're talking about taxes and you know, one of the first things I asked them is that if they've applied for the resident rate and with the and I believe with your point with the assessments the assessments coming up again, it's that time.

We just did it. Did it did it? Yeah. All right. Well, I'm off time. So, but anyway, we can overcommunicate it and uh make sure that we get that out there because that's important. Okay. Okay. Let's move on to town council business. Um number 20 continued from April 6, 2026 regular meeting at the request of council Logan in reference to resolution of the council proclaiming the month of May 2026 as myotrophic lateral sclerosis. And I'm sorry um Joanne because you you drilled that into my head that night and I just couldn't get it right. Awareness month motion to resolution. Uh Chris Can I read it?

Yes, absolutely read.

And I apologize. I had the privilege to participate in the police parade yesterday and uh apparently the uh seasonal allergy bug caught me. So struggling tonight, but I'm going to get So amiotrophic lateral scerosis, ALS, I will not say that again. ALS um also commonly known as Lug Gerri's disease is a progressive fatal neurodeenerative disease in which a person's brain loses connection their muscles slowly reducing a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, eventually breathe. And thousands of new ALS cases are reported every year and estimates show that every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS, someone passes away from ALS. And on average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive only two to five years from the time of diagnosis. And the exact cause of ALS are unknown and there is no known cure for ALS. And people who have served in the military are more likely to develop ALS and die from the disease than those with no history of military service. And securing access to new therapies, durable medical equipment, communication technologies of vital importance to people living with ALS. and clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating new treatments, enhancing quality of life and fostering assisted technologies for those living with ALS. And the ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funer of ALS research globally and has committed more than 154 million to support more than 550 projects across the United States and 18 other countries. And the ALS Association is committed to make ALS livable and cure it for everyone everywhere. And ALS Awareness Month provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the dire circumstances people living with ALS acknowledge the terrible impact that this disease has on those individuals and their families and supports research to eradicate this disease. Therefore, be

it that the town of middle town council of the town of Middletown hereby proclaims the month of May 2026 as ALS awareness month and encourages all Americans to join in supporting ALS research advocating for increased funding and standing in solidarity with those affected by the rentless disease. witness whereof, we have here unto set our hands and cause the seal of the seal of of the town of Middletown to be affixed this fourth day of May, 2026.

Awesome, Chris. Thank you for uh Yeah, well done. Thank you for putting this on. You know, I think it probably affects more people than we realize. We're just a fortune. don't realize Garrick's disease. You think about it as a little bit topic of disease but um think awareness is key and thank appreciate that. Well, having said that, let's move on to um number 21, memorandum of council Logan in ref.

Complete the vote. We didn't vote on did. All in favor? I I sorry, Wendy. Thank you. You're welcome. Number 21, memorandum of council Logan in reference to T sponsorship for a marvelous wish annual golf tournament. Most receive said memorandum and authorize $100 sponsor golf te to be appropriated from the council discretionary.

Absolutely. So I respectfully put this on the docket to support marvelous wish foundation which was found in remembrance of the late Marvin Washington who passed away a few years ago. Um Marvin was a pivotal figure in the community supporting youth activities. Um, more importantly, he was pivotal in establishing Butler Basketball, which is huge, huge supporter of the youth in our community. So, just uh in honor of Marvin, his daughter started the foundation a few years ago. um she's worked very hard to get this this organization where they're at in a very short period of time to the point that they actually provide um three 4,000 scholarships across aquinic island high school graduating seniors. They're also fully financially supporting extracurricular activities across the youth in our our communities here which is having a very positive impact. They're doing a a wonderful job. So any little bit that we can help provide to them to support this cause moving forward, I'm in big support of. So again, I requestly just requested donate a $100 T- sign to this event um to keep this this this cause moving forward and to honor Marvin's legacy. So thank you. We have a motion and a second to authorize $100 for this Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. Anybody oppose? Okay. Thank you. Let's move on to number 22. Uh memorandum of finance director through town administrator recommendation to engage with silent sherpa for energy consulting and professional services.

Motion receives that memorandum. Have a motion to second to receive. All in favor? I. And we'll move into the resolution for discussion 23. Resolution of the council reference toward of contract to silence sherpa energy management professional services the general fund and authorize the finance director to execute set agreement on behalf of the town I said resolution motion is second to pass Mr. codes.

So on the whole concept of shared services, I'm recommending that we now look to consolidate the procurement of utilities between the school department and the town. Presently, the town uses one vendor to procure gas and electricity. They use another vendor to somewhat oversee net metering. The school department has no one they're using for procurement of utilities. We're pretty much in a mode that one contract ends, we jump into another one, which is not going to work anymore, especially when we get the new building on that's all electric. And we also have the same net metering program and we have no one overseeing that or auditing it. Um I'm recommending Silent Shirp. I've worked with them for over 20 years. They provide a model that will expand significantly the scope and the services we receive by auditing budget process developmental and proactive procurement in that whole process. So again it'll be we will go out collectively they'll we'll have one portfolio portfolio manager cloud base that will show the town and the school department accounts everything will be differently and the contractor is split up in half with the town half with the school.

Ed what what are some of the advantages of this approach?

I have the owner here if you want to ask him questions but I'm happy to answer them too. Um this approach would um it helps with budget development, procurement strategy and auditing functions will give us a better buying potential combining everything together. Also the the different approach is going to be that to do this right we should we you should really start looking at procuring new contracts almost a year before yours yours are up. This is going to put us in a better position. So dealing with silent chirper as I as I have done in the past 20 years conversations that happen monthly. Look at we put out an RFQ. This is what came back. We got good one-year prices, two-year prices, threeyear prices. We can go shortterm. It's the whole approach. And collectively, what we want to do, Paul, is since the Councilman since the budget Okay. Um, sorry about that. Since the but the the split might be more of a 7:30 8020 between electricity and gas. We like to go out there and work for a year to try to develop the best cost for electricity since that carries the yman. And if we can come up with a cost that's very equal to what we're carrying now, we lock in with that and then we'll play the market for the gas. The other thing we want to do is we want to get everything collectively together on the same time frame. Right now, um, one contract for gas, I think it one ends up in September, one ends in December with the town for electric and gas. Everything for the school, what I did when I came here is I ended it in 27 of next year in June so we could gear off with the new buildings. We want to put everything under the same time frame. The other thing we want to try to do is make sure everything kind of co coincides with the physical year. You'll notice this year we got a we got kind of caught. We're half the year twothirds of the year of electric, half the year for gas, we're going to be an unknown chartered. We won't have a contract. If we're doing a better job collectively gauging that to the physical year, we're never going to be left with where we need to add contingencies because of unknown cost because a contract ends up mid cycle in the physical year. The

other thing it provides us is transparency. Full transparency. We're going to be able to go on that website and see all the bills on a monthly basis. We're going to be able to monitor budgets. Is that account in the red or is it in the good? We're going to have a better uh it'll be much easier for for me to report back to either the town or the school like look at we're coming into March and April. I'm going to tell you there's going to be monies left over in utilities that we could start looking at either moving over into other accounts that are deficient. I think the important part is finding someone that can collectively engage all those services into one. Silent Sherper does a great job with that. Now we have one vendor, one consultant, sorry, one consultant doing the procurement for the town and the school collection.

Okay. It's encouraging for sure. Is there any Thank you. Uh do you mentioned a new split when we have the new high schools and things like Yeah. new high school buildings. So our electric is going to take vast majority. Absolutely. A whole electric building. We're probably going from 60 40 70 30 to 80 20 9010 electrically. Yeah. So with Silent Sherpa will help us lock in rates on that. Absolutely. If you want me to bring James up, he can speak for it. But yeah, we're going to

if this gets awarded, we're going to start now looking at numbers. Where are we? Where what what what can we can we lock in right now for 27 to 28, 27 to 29 on a good electric, constantly looking at future numbers. If we can do that now and lock in the bulk of that, I can come back and say, look, I can give you a number right now that's equal to what we're budgeting now. That's a good sell. And maybe it's a question. I don't know. Are you finding um sorry your name and address sir James Graco Rhode Island restor go ahead we appreciate you

just a question for you so when we you go in to lock in specifically the electric right you're you're working with third party electric suppliers I assume is there also opportunity for like power purchase agreements community solar projects, things like that. You could. But I mean, are you finding that you lock in, you save the money, you don't really you don't get much for that or how's that? Well, my understanding is the town and the school department already participate in virtual net metering credit, which are kind of a variation of community solar. So, you're already in those agreements. It's a matter of managing those agreements. As far as the credits are concerned, what Ed is referencing is somebody to proactively monitor the energy Yeah.

So, you know, as you guys know, energy prices is very volatile. When you lock rates, you're locking in futures contracts through a third market. For my firm, part of what we do is we manage that proactively. Manage those portfolios. When the market's at low active locking, markets up short, we're navigating the portfolio similar to financial portfolio except we're trying to mitigate So, thank you, Charlie. So, uh, Ed, it's my understanding that what you said was right now the contracts end in a very volatile season, right? So, we don't know the whole I guess that whole that whole industry is kind of volatile right now. But what's important to me and I think what I got out of this is what you said is in June could we do it earlier so it lines up more of our budget planning and process. What we're going to do here's the approach. The first thing we're going to look at is we have two contracts that are coming up. One in September, one in December, gas and electric for the town. We're going to look to grab those and carry those to the end of June of 27 to put everything in line to where the school is. But we're going to do our best to get the best number for that. Then knowing that's going to happen right now, right after that's done, we're going to start looking at, like James spoke of, we're going to start looking at the futures in the market to where we can lock in the town as a whole on all that, knowing that everything comes up in June of 27th. Ideally, ideally, the best scenario is when we come back, we either have a one, two, or threeear thing where again, it ends in June. So, we're never in a position or where the contract's ending halfway in the year. and we we're coming to you in front of a budget saying look at we know the budget number till December but after that all bets are off. We're going to go back on the market that forces us to carry contingencies based on an unknown we don't know. What we want to

do is put ourselves in a better situation where we can kind of lock that and solidify that and not have to worry about that. That's a that's a small part of it. I understand that. I guess I'm asking if it's in June when we're negotiating those those rates. We approve the budget usually at the end of May. So, if we could do it earlier than that, we'd have better

Absolutely. We're gonna And that's that's what I alluded to early. The best way to do this is you start looking a year ahead of time. We know we're up in June of 27. We're shopping right now and that'll we'll go through um James and he'll come back and look, we issued an RFQ out there. This is what we got back. By the way, they do the best job at soliciting all these different companies, right? It's not just NRG we're dealing with. We have all these different vendors and they're all coming in with different numbers and different time frames. Now, we look at that, but that needs to start now. Absolutely. I think that'd be helpful. Okay. Any council Dennis?

Thank you. So, thanks for coming. Like the opportunity here. So John, who who procured besides yourself, who procured our our agreements, you know, for gas and electric prior to the service? There's a best practices energy that we currently use. Okay. We pay them.

Yes. And the cost of we pay them, we'll offset. So basically, we're cost for the town is relatively the same. What we're basically doing is Mr. that was shipping over to one vendor to provide services. We've actually used before the school department did at a different time so successfully. So that's part of the raleated net metering. We have a third consultant for that. we can consolidate it into one place. Again, it allows us to do greater planning which helps us uh smooth out the budget. Um allows us to look at variety of different uh lengths of contracts, the amount of energy we buy. I'll just use an example. on the net metering. We bought we tried to buy half of our electricity off of the net metering agreement and that was partly at the time in a different time, but we were afraid if we locked in something then that there may be technology changes or rate changes or something that may not make you know rather than go all in and take that risk 50%. So you know that again trying to take a portfolio approach that time But again trying to get it to one one place so that we can manage our portfolio across the entire across the whole town. So they would work with us with the library as well.

Yes. Library that's included. So what I just heard was it's kind of a wash in regards to what they're going to charge us based on what we're paying and that we'll get rid of that service. Correct. Why are you better than that service? That's excellent. Doing 30 years. We manage portfolios. Could you could you speak it? Yeah. So, I've been doing this for 30 years. My firm manages portfolios actively now for the likes of Blue Cross Blue Shield Job. I saw those in here. Yeah.

Yeah. I consider my We do a lot of private work. We do do public work. Uh school communities. So track record is the track record. Ed knows it. That's probably why because we're very transparent. See the performance of the portfolio management. One of the unique features of my firm is we do not take commissions or third party payment in any way, shape transaction. So we're completely compre I believe the scenario that you guys have now is there's some compensation indirectly from the vendor that it's not very clean from a public that's why I'm typically hired by they want to know that interest I would just say the short answer to your question is just Okay, fair enough. It's good to know. It's uh to procure the energy takes someone to focus on it regular basis because it's always changing and it's up and down. So, appreciate the help.

Charlie,

yeah, it is always changing and you can probably add to this, but with the data centers and the AI facilities going in across our country, our electric rates are going through the roof. So, they're going to continue. Everybody should know that. Do you offer any kind of residential packages or anything or like any recommendation help with that? There is it is like um you know public utilities commission will try to protect us uh sometimes from electric rates but anybody that got their electric bills this winter it was really went up significant that I see that trend going up just because of the demand like um I I recently heard state of Wyoming there was an AI uh data center facility that had more electric draw than all the residents and communities in the whole state Wyoming. So just for that one facility. So it's going to drive our rates up. But is is there any kind of res I mean you guys do any residential kind of packages or co-ops or anything like that or No.

So I actually have a separate business uh for this specific reason. About four years ago I started a new business called Kilowatt. It's an AI enabled uh cloud-based application that residents and small businesses can use to procure energy supply as an alternative to the utility. Uh it actively it basically does what I do at a more simplistic level. It actively monitors forward markets and when it sees savings opportunities it automatically switches you to suppliers with those price points. So it's an alternative to what you would consider community choice. Yeah. So, so presently I use that software and I'm paying below 10 cents a kilowatt. I'm I'm I'm part of that.

That's significant. That's that's Well, I would think you need to make a presentation to the residents on how to procure this. And uh I I I he mentioned this and I said, let's just get your foot in the door first before we can kind of expand on that. Good. Hey, why I'm here.

Okay. Any further questions? No, thank you though. Appreciate it. Okay, so second resolution. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. Anybody opposed? Thank you. Let's go back to Will is here. Let's go back to number 18. Communication of Benjamin Wood and Jonathan Kaufman. Fire and Water Concessions Incorporated. Request for extended hours. I extended optional hours. Salties at Second Beach.

Motion to approve the request of fire and water concessions SP Incorporated holder of the contract Satress beast concession for an extension of concession operating hours extending the hours APM and authorize the finance director to execute Z contract. Motion a second. Will one of the questions I had was said that it was certain days or that they would let me go right here. Thank you, Mrs. Vaughn. Um, select days. Do we know what days those are or what are they really asking for? I mean, I don't have an issue with that. I just wondering what days and how do they determine those days? Is it just, hey, it's a beautiful day and the weather's going to be nice this weekend. We're going to be over by 8 o'clock. How do people just from people being down there?

Sure. I think it's going to be um they're looking for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

I mean, it just said select days. It didn't say every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We have a contingent, I guess. Sure. Obviously, they're not going to be open, although lobster rolls have been popular down there. So, okay. Okay. Did you have a soccer game? Your kids? Yes. How'd it go? They won. Awesome. Hold on. Hold on. That It was great to be here tonight. Thank you. Okay. Well, thank you. Okay. We have a motion to second. Peter, you just clarify is this is this these hours for just this season or for the full

I'm assuming it's just this season, but I'm not I probably make that clear to avoid confusion. You want me to make it clear to them? Well, no. And in their motion, they should make it clear. justing it this year.

What is it, Wendy? He's gonna You're going to add to the end of the motion for this season only. For this season only. This is the first of a five-year contract. First year of a fouryear contract. Four year threeear contract with two two one year. Two one-year options. This I thought it was five somewhere, but yeah. Okay. All right. So, we have a motion to approve based on um it it's just for this particular year. That's how we typically do things. Sorry. That's how we typically uh approve things. It's just one year at a time or does it really matter?

You could do it for the an entire contract. So give it would give you the option to see how it goes this year. Yeah. And then you could Thank you for your advice, Mr. Sic. Yes. All right. Thank you. I'm not being wise. I'm being genuine, I think. Um Okay. So, we have motion to second approve this year. All in favor? I Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Will. I'm glad your children won. Um let's move on to number 24. Memorandum of finance director uh reference to financial report 9 months ended March 31st 2026 motion to receive said memorandum report. All in favor

I

Good evening Mr. President, members of the council, your nine-month financials at a very high level, and you do have the backup in the packet as well as public for the general fund. Your total revenues exceeded the expenses by 1.6 million. Tax collections are 2.8 higher than the same period in the prior year. And all town departments expenditures currently have favorable balances when compared to their budgets. There's one MPC that is just slightly over and they are funded um from different funding. The school department, the total revenues exceeded expenses by 1.5 million. And I'll break that out between the school general fund and all the other funds. The school general fund revenues exceeded expenses by 2.5 million and all the other funds including special revenue funds, enterprise funds, grants, the expenses exceeded revenues by 930,000 and a lot of that is a timing of when they received the revenue uh from when they spend the money. for your parks and recreation fund. Your expenses exceeded revenues by 357,000 compared to 623,000 in the prior fiscal year. In this fund, the most of the revenue is collected at the end of the fiscal year. So this quarter coming and uh

this is more of a timing.

Yes. So, it's in line with what is expected for the sewer fund. Your total expenses exceeded revenues by 74,000 compared to 435 and favorable change in the prior fiscal year. And again, in this fund, the debt service payments are paid at the beginning of the fiscal year, which are higher. So, by the end of the fiscal year, it catches up by the time revenues are collected. for your refues and recycling fund total revenues exceeded expenses by 79,000 compared to 162,000 in the in the prior fiscal year. Right now we are collecting we've collected it started in November with the new passes new stickers. Your pay as you throw bag sales are 14,000 lower than the same period last year and your permit sales are 16,000 higher in the same period last year. Next slide I have the all the departments and I compare them to the budget. You look all the way to the right. That's the percentage that each department is used compared to the budget. And they're all you would expect around 75% at this part with three quarters of the year through. So on and the very bottom is MPC the second one to the bottom which that one's just slightly over by not even $2,000 and that's fun opioid and now most of their expenses are funded from grants. Any question?

Yes I do. So, um, snow budget. Obviously, we had a lot of snow. We budgeted, I think we budget based on, and correct me if I'm wrong, we based on a three-year history. That's how we project it, based on an average. This year was a little lot worse than normal. So, we had budgeted uh $186,000. that resulted in over to 419,000 because the total cost 605,000. How do you how do we how are you going to rectify that line budget transfers or so right well most of that because my next question

yeah most of that is is uh recorded in an emergency operations budget which usually doesn't have a budget but because it was a blizzard anything posted to that we anticipate FEMA reimbursement so we did file um we had to submit to FEMA Raima Rhode Island Emergency Management two different cost estimates and then they supply that information to Washington for FEMA's approval and we're still waiting for that information. The time frame they give you the they said it can be up to four months is the average and I believe they submitted that February

next month. So if it doesn't come through, that's why we have fund balance. Over the years, you didn't spend the money for the total budget and snow removal that goes to fund balance. So now in the event that we have this overage, it's in fund balance and that's why you do have fun. We also put a spending freeze in place um which Yeah. So we uh as these as that expense came online, we immediately put a spending freeze in place knowing that um the goal would be to contain the overage in the existing budget and we would process budget transfers if we can to offset the additional cost. So

when you say there's a spending in place, what does that mean? So if there's I think I know what it means, but there's non-essential or discretionary spending. it doesn't get approved. So, uh, even though it's budgeted, it does not, you know, we don't have to spend. I don't have to spend it, we don't spend it. But if it's, you know, we're not, we we fix things, we dispatch public safety, we do all those things. But if there's something that we can postpone, then we postpone it. Or if we can just forego it. But everything is reviewed um or it goes out myself and Mark.

When did that start? Last quarter or last I'd add it to when the memo went out. It goes out to the department heads and it's managed administratively. Who who reviews all that? I I review and approve purchases. So if you see something you don't like, you just deny. Correct. Right. But again, to Sean's point, if safety related or something absolutely has to happen, then I'm sure you guys are communicating and proving that. Yeah. And I also a good Yes. And I also make sure that an administrator has also approved that lodge.

But in things like potholes, those things are we are not we are trying to address all those. We're not that is not work that I'm stopping. Yeah. You want a second machines which exactly get a spending freeze.

Okay. I do want you, if you don't mind, talking on the all day budget meeting on Saturday, one of the questions I asked was the school committee was, you have a surplus. What is that surplus? And just because, you know, the town has in place a a policy of 8% to a low of 8% to a high, I believe, of 16% um general fund or surplus. So that um we're in a we're in that that's kind of a safe zone for as a as a best practice I guess of municipality, right? So we put that in place years ago and so we're okay there. But now the school I think it's important for the school people to know uh the school had a deficit four years ago or whatever, but I think they have to have a minimum of 2%. 2 to 4% I believe is their is their range. And I believe they're in that range right now. So I think that's important to communicate to the residents school partnership between the town and the school the town helping the school manage their manage their funds and you approving um our second set of eyes on on those requisitions or whatever certainly has helped and I think that partnership is working very well which which is good to know. I Dennis just the spending freeze was put in place on March 9th. So the blizzard was on uh February 22nd through the 24th. So basically the next week it was put in place. So the school said they had about $2 million in the reserve fund for what do we have?

We have about 12.8 8 million which is uh higher than the 16%. But we also have the plan to fund the school debt second bond payment using fund balance which is allowed. So we get reimbursement from the state reimbured that way. So there's no additional tax for the res.

I was going to say is there any restrictions on what we can use that money for?

There are restrictions. you have a fund balance policy. This the exception is that this is one of the allowable items that you time items that you get. I think what I heard was heard this on Saturday was that the timing of the reimbursement from the school is three years 28 29 there there's well there's different debt. So there's there's the debt that's just totally associated with the bond and then there's non non non-debt bond supported debt. So the debt that's supported by the bond will match up to the amortization schedule um with the exception of at the beginning when the application goes in because we'll like right now we're going to start having amortized cost but the we will not be eligible for the reimbursement until we submit for project completion and then it falls into a day for reimbursement. That's that timing difference on the nonbond related purchases. There's is currently uh that is currently being discussed by the general assembly of whether we can get it all in one year or whether would it be advertised over a three-year period. Mark's point, it was that fund balance of 12.8 of the 16%

we're going to use a big chunk of would be used to pay the school debt until the reimbursement comes in. Once the reimbursement comes in, it will replenish the the the general fund uh money that was borrowed to pay that debt from a timing. Okay. And what was the I don't remember. I saw the chart. What was the amount of money that we're going to need to invest for that short period of time? Was how many million? Uh 4.7 I believe. I don't remember. I thought it was like seven. I think that was the first year a couple years, but I get you that. Okay.

Then when the reimbursement comes back to us, we put it right back into that fund. You said that fund can only be used for one time charges. Yeah. According to your fund balance policy, capital expenditures that are one time. It's an ordinance. Yeah.

Okay. Just wanted to make sure that was clear and I know it evolved a little bit more which is good. more information the better but um I think it's great that school and the town are working well together on the financing. So number five is number five. Number 25 is communication of accounting manager in reference to fiscal year 2026 quarterly tax collectors report as of 331 2026 middle

motion to receive said communication and report. All in favor? I Mr. Tangway.

Thank you Mr. President. This is your quarterly report. This is for nine months. On the top portion is the current year and I have two prior fis two prior fiscal years. I'm going to go all the way to the right where it says your collection percentage. Your collection rate for real estate 76%. And if you compare that to the prior two years, it's the highest. Um, it's also the exact same percentage as two years ago. If you look at the personal property, it's 80.47% which is the highest percentage from the prior two years. Yeah.

Y and then for your sewer maintenance, you're at 75.62, which is higher than the prior year, but in the exact same percentage. Pretty consist.

Yeah. Yeah. So you do have very consistent property tax collection. The very bottom it identifies the prior year what was collected in this year for the prior year taxes. You're at a 60.12% collection. There's 582,000 for the real estate and tangible and motor vehicle. That's outstanding. And 95.38% for your sewer and there's only 6,133. The collections are very consistent.

Okay. Council have any questions of the quality report ending March 31st of this year, 2026. So, looks like we're in pretty good shape and we appreciate your hard work and your team's hard work. Thank you, Patrick. Thank you. Okay. Anyone else have any questions? Okay, Mr. Tom. Motion to adjurnn. Have a motion, a second to adjurnn. All in favor? I. Thank you everyone.