Town Council - Regular Meeting

November town council meeting. Ordinarily, it would be a Tuesday night, but last night, yesterday was Veterans Day. And uh we have a a pretty big start off to tonight's meeting. And everyone who's here will have to stay the entire evening. Okay. Could I have uh Where's Vinnie Kenda? Vinnie,

lead us with the pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. So, we uh have a public comment period where we allow members of the public if they would like to come forward and share uh an issue with the council that's not on the agenda, but they want to bring to our attention. And we have no one, which is always good, although we would allow whoever has an issue to come forward. So tonight is the first time in 11 years we've brought back the issuance of citizens of the year for the recognition of their dedicated service to the community as well as a lifetime achievement award for a member of our community who's gone above and beyond and dealt with me for a long time.

Joe, you skipped over the

Oh yes, sorry. Thank you. uh skipped over the so national heritage corridor. So this has been hard work of a group of people and mainly uh David Weed and I'll read it off and Mr. Weed's here. Here he is. So what we're trying to do is start was a while back uh I think Mr. Stanley, myself, and you brought up this conversational piece and you took it. You took it a long way. And now we're asking others [clears throat] and we're sending this off to the Where are we sending this, David? We're sending this to uh Washington, aren't we? I think so. Right. Why don't you come on up and

can speak backwards into the microphone. Okay. No, speak forward. But

yeah. Yeah. Can [laughter] Okay, you can all hear me. Okay. Um, yeah. This was a continuation of work that really started three years ago. Um, it's a sequence to the uh uh Native American study committee that uh worked for several years on things like the uh uh the land acknowledgement that you all see in front of the building here. Um, and it's an effort to get not only Warren, but eight other communities between Providence and Somerset, Bristol, um, to not only acknowledge our history here, but to celebrate it as a national heritage area, similar to the Blackstone Heritage Area. So, we're asking each of the town councils in those nine communities uh to vote on a resolution in support. So, that's what we're asking for you tonight

and that's what I'll be reading right now. Yep.

So, it's the town of Warren resolution so national heritage area. Whereas the town of Warren is one of nine Massachusetts and Rhode Island municipalities on the northeastern shore of Naragans at Bay that comprise Sums the ancestral homeland of the Massasoya Osamiquin who welcomed the pilgrims in 1621 and forged a 50-year alliance that changed the course of history. And whereas this landscape is also the setting for other pivotal events in our nation's history, here King Phillip's War began and ended. Roger Williams founded Rhode Island and the seeds of religious freedom took root. The business of slave trading ignited a transatlantic economy and moral outcry, and the dynamic interplay of land and water defined the history and culture of the region for millennia. Whereas national heritage areas are grassroots communitydriven programs that celebrate a region's contribution to America's heritage, are designated by US Congress, but are not owned, controlled, or managed by the federal government, and are intended to encourage heritage conservation, community development, and regional collaboration. Therefore, we the Warrentown Council are proud to join the communities of Sooms in endorsing the designation of SOMS as a national heritage corridor. So, that's a resolution and hopefully we will pass it and it will be passed by Joseph D. Pasquali, President Carrie Cronin, vice President John Hanley, Councilman Derek L. Tromley and Lewis Rehagar. Is there a motion to approve? Second.

Any discussion? Would you like any discussion on that motion? I think you've got it. All in favor? Thank you for all your hard work. Thank you very much. May I May I suggest May I suggest a second motion that the resolution be forwarded to Congressman Ammo and Senators Reid and White House? Can I have that in a motion? A motion. Second. All in favor?

I. Okay, now highlight of the evening. Where is he? All right. Got to make sure he was here. We are recognizing someone who by the sounds of this is being recognized for his work in the community being paid. But in all actuality, this gentleman has worked for the town and for the federal government. And outside of that employment, he has always kept his foot in the door. And we are very, very honored to honor him tonight, to have him with us, I should. We're honored to have him with us. And we're honored in honoring him so forth. Now, we'll get to it. Whereas following a successful career out of out of out of state in the private sector, Michael Abbusi returned to Warren where he was hired as town manager in February 2002. He was born and raised in Warren and he came from a family well known in the community and widely recognized for public spirit. During his tenure, Michael's accomplishments were many and his outstanding leadership was evident in every department and throughout the town. He served as manager until September 2008. Whereas Mr. Abusei returned to municipal

government in July 2013 when he was hired as Warren's finance director based at Town Hall. His experience and professionalism were invaluable to the post which he held until May 2017. Whereas in June 2017, Mr. Bruisie was appointed executive director of the Warren Housing Authority, which provides quality housing and supportive services for low and moderate income individuals and families. Throughout his 8-year tenure, he led with skill, composure, and compassion, dealing with administrative issues as well as critical housing for the disabled and the elderly. The job offered numerous challenges, none more so than than guarding the health and safety of Kikimu village residents during the CO 19 pandemic. On June 30th, 2025, Michael Abusei retired, having served the town and its people for nearly 20 years. We offer him our gratitude, congratulations, and best wishes for the future. But that's not what he's actually being recognized for. He's being recognized for coming back to town hall during our fiscal crisis and giving us an invaluable auditing service that we could have never paid for. And tonight, we honor him as citizen of the year. Thank you.

Thank you. And get involved. That's it. Say thank you. Get involved. Ah. Oh, I like to say a few words. It's the only way to make it that I like to say it. I like to say a few words. back in after

you know Michael uh Michael applied for the town managers position in 200 and two he wasn't my first choice I got to tell you but you know what but it was an amazing choice we ended up hiring Michael and and and he worked for for me anyway till 2008 when I left you left I don't know why but the right thing and then he came back as treasurer and then I uh I went on to foreign housing authority and we had some real serious issues at the housing authority and we had low grades and then we stole Michael from the town. Sorry. Probably won't have the issues you have today, but we did.

And and you know, Michael is the best to work for, but when you're on the board overseeing things, it's like watching paint dry. He gets everything done. He's always ahead of the game. And for that, I thank you, Michael. And and Michael's still here helping us out the town. And I appreciate it. appreciate it and uh all the best.

Thank you. So, ordinarily we try to honor a male and female, but this year we actually are honoring a male and two females. because the work that has been performed for probably I don't know probably over 30 years and brought up to where we are now for at least the last 10 years that I know of has been uh performed by not just two individuals but they're the two individuals that are steering the ship and they have uh numerous volunteers and the work that they're doing is really helping the community and it's helping the people that are most hardest hit and they don't ask questions. Uh they just are happy to be there and part of the entire community they serve. And these next two citizens of the year are Wendy Baker and Dedra Pru Parat. So, here's a little a very small uh background because it went on for a while. I had to pick a beginning and an end. So, here I go.

Dedra Poo Parade and Wendy Baker, coordinators of St. Mary of the Bay Food Pantry, are hereby awarded this certificate of recognition as 2025 citizens of the year with the appreciation and congratulations of the Warren Town Council. During their 10 years of tireless work and skillful coordination, Dedra and Wendy [clears throat] and staff of committed volunteers have met the most basic needs and demands of the community. Their dedication and support of the food pantry program over the past decade has provided on average 170 families per week, an ever growing number, with nourishing meals during often difficult times. And it's because of this the town of Warren and its residents thank you and we honor you with these certificates of appreciation. So please come on up. Okay.

Oh my gosh. And if you could please say as little or as much as you would like. Sure.

I just want to say that it takes it takes a great team to do what we do and a lot of our team is out there, but we do have the best team going. So, on behalf of the uh members and volunteers of St. of the Bay Food Pantry. To our benefactors, to our donors, to our community, and especially to our parish, thank you so much for your support. We couldn't do it without you. Um, I really don't have much to add. The team knows exactly how we feel about them. If we don't say it enough, thank you so much. This is for all of us, for all of your hard work, for our families that we drag along into the race. And I can't say enough about the Warren community. We know we live in a special town. This is the best town. And the last three weeks that all uh food pantries in particular have been struggling, the Warren community, every single resident and business member, the town council, the town hall have stepped up and we have never felt such love and support. So, thank you. This is for all of you and uh we just love you. Thank you. Thank you.

You should have seen their faces last week. They were wondering why I was there. Couldn't have been good news if Joe's know. No, no, no. We won't shut you down. So, next we have the honor of honoring John Janetto. And John Michael Janetto has had a wastewater treatment facility named after himself. For those of you who don't know that for his hard work at the uh water treatment facility when he was the commissioner of the sewer board, he uh was able to build a 20 a $20 million plant costing the tunnel warren only $1 million. And that's just part of what he's done. So, we're actually honoring John tonight with a lifetime achievement award. And he's had quite a full life. And it's not over yet. So, don't get any ideas. John Michael Janetta was born on June 8th, 1940 at the Trudale Hospital in Fall River, Massachusetts. The third and youngest child of Alice Splain and Frederick Janedto Senior. the day he and his mother came home from the hospital and began his life in Warren. From early on, his parents instilled an emphasis on family, faith, and community. His mother, Alice, was a long-standing educator in the elementary schools who would often contribute to church functions, preferably in the company of her five sisters. His father, Fred Senior, was a local flooring merchant who was in constant motion, always known to offer services to many different causes. Growing up and still residing at 37 Hope Street, John will happily admit that his was an idealic childhood and that Warren is God's country. Home at Hope Street during John's

younger years was an amazing place with an ice rink in his backyard. Along with John's sister Alice and brother Freddy and many many first and second cousins, a host of North End and even some Southoun and East Warren kids came to skate at Smelly Arena where John's earliest experiences with volunteerism and organization started to emerge. He was the owner, general manager, coach, and player on his beloved skunks hockey team. In true Warren or even Rhode Island fashion, John was awarded a nickname sometime during his youth, mouse. And in that same fashion, the nickname stuck. To this day, he answers to that moniker. At school, he had many friends and participated in town athletics. Admittedly, John loved history, but not so much the other aspects of education. And so, after graduation from Warren High School, located on Main Street and what later became known as Mary V. Quirk Junior High, John enrolled in the Army. His three and a halfear stint in the military was his only long-standing adventure outside of Warren. Once discharged from the army, John came back to Warren, eventually marrying Sandra Wit, another lifelong Warrenite. For the first four years or so of their marriage, they lived on Washington Street before returning to Hope Street, where they raised four daughters and continue to live today. John's legacy of service and volunteerism in Warren is comprised of, but not limited to St. Mary of the Bay Church, Altter Boy, Charity Drive Chair, Summer Festival Chair, Clambake Chair, Weekly Donation Collections, Warren Fire Department, Central Fire Company, Engine 1, 67 years

in active duty, 46 years as captain. Muscul musculardrophe chair. Warren Little League, 36 years in the capacity of manager or coach of the Yankees, also a league president. Warren indoor soccer league, 25 years in the capacity of coach or president. Town of Warren served as the building inspector for 23 years, elected to the sewer commission for three terms. various other community involvement. American Legion Post 11, George Hale Library Board, Warren Housing Authority Board, Democratic Town Committee, Orin Hart Fund Chair, Warren Athletic Hall of Fame, Bristol County Water Authority, countless lending out of his blue Chevy truck, if you borrowed it, you know. And another note on the nickname thing, on a given day, depending on who he meets up with, Mouse always answers to coach Janetto or Cab. And let's not forget the week he spent with me building Project Playground. Best week of my life. John Janetto, please come on up here and accept your lifetime achieving the award. in the museum.

It's too nice to go in the museum. Here's the mic. You pretty much summed a lot of it up, Joe. But the best part of I heard this was when uh Maya told me that with this goes a reduction in my taxes increasing. I I I really am overwhelmed. I to go along with what D said and and what you what you read here, I'd like to just say a few words about the town of one.

I uh I am blessed to have the family I have. I'm blessed to grow up in this town. For some of you who don't or were kind of fairly newcomers, this is quite a community. When I was growing up in the 40s and 50s, Warren was pretty much just neighborhoods. Northern of course East Warren, South End, uh, Bar Park, Twissit, and Windmill Hill. And as small as Warren is, five and a half square miles, we didn't even know kids from those other neighborhoods till we got to Joyce Street School in the sixth grade. That's how small it was because we stayed in our neighborhood. But our neighborhood was the best. And particularly for where I grew up. I grew up 30 feet from the railroad track, which is now the East Bay bike path. And the highlight of the day was when a train rumbled through and shook every dish and glass in the house. But growing up there, 150 yards to the north was the powerhouse we called it. It was the old abandoned ruins of the power station for the railroad. And when we played in there, it was like being in the Roman ruins, we thought. And right adjacent to that was Belchure's Cove. That's where we clammed, crab, swam. It was polluted, but who cared? And another 150 ft just to the east was the town dump. What a place, boy. The treasures we brought home were unbelievable. Our parents didn't like them too much, but they were great. And then just a hop, skip, and a jump, and you're uptown. The busiest business center between Ball River, Newport, and Providence. Cuz in those days there was no Barington Shopping Center. There was no Swansea Mall. This was the place you could buy anything you needed in Warren. from an

automobile to a shoelace. It was great. It was just unbelievable. We had a theater, a movie theater. We had a First National, an AMP, a Newberries, a Woolworth, and a Sears. We had like six uharmacies on Main Street alone. There were just just so many places to go and and enjoy. And a Friday night in downtown Warren was pretty much like what the Friday night is now when we have the Christmas lighting. That's how busy Warren. But I also had the great joy and pleasure of traveling this whole United States. I've seen every state in the union with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. I've seen them all. The West Coast, the Pacific Coast, the Golden Gate Bridge, oil wells in Texas. the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, New Orleans, Florida, and anywhere you can think of, Chicago, Boston, New York City, Washington DC. But believe me when I tell you this, to this moment today, even the best thing I ever see is when I come over that bridge and see the mill. I'm home where I belong. Warren R I. So tonight, a humble little kid from the north end wants to say to all of you, welcome to Warren and enjoy it. And to the Warren Town Council, thank you. And to everyone, God bless you.

So, for the other inductees, I hope you're still here. Come on up and uh we'll take a picture because this is the plaque of everybody that's been honored since we started it back in 2004. There are some big names on here. So, come on up. And uh let's see. We'll go from shortest to shortest. [clears throat] I think this will work. If anybody has a camera,

okay, there you go. Thank you everybody. So those are our presentations. Next we'll go into theory arguments and who knows what else this evening will bring.

Give me the Yeah, just trying to go year by year. Yeah, that's probably the I don't know. We'll do it after. Oh, how inaudible was meeting away.

It's always good not to eat saltines before you do a speech like that.

Or if your opponent is, give them a bunch. All right, we'll be jumping right into uh a business part of our meeting. Next we have uh interviews and we have okay we have interviews and uh we have no one for the Rhode Island 2 Georgia 50th commission and then we have the voluntary historic district committee and there's one position available and there are five members and two alternates and our current alternate is Joan Brener Cold Train and she's here. I think I saw her. Hello. If you'd like to come up and tell us why you'd want to make the jump. Seems obvious to me. Well, [clears throat] excuse me. First, I should say that I feel completely inadequate after listening to all those years of service. And I also have to say I've only lived here six years, but it is a blessing to live in Warren. and I am so grateful for how welcoming this community has been. It has been um such a privilege. So,

well, it's a great start. Well, and you're the alternate and you would like to be the the the regular member. Thank you. Yes. I would finish swallowing. Uh okay. So, there any questions of the applicant? She's already on the board and uh Okay. Thank you. I do have a question. curious as the alternate, how many meetings have you sat where you actually uh ended up being a voting member? Have you you've engaged and really participated as a as an active member?

So, that's a great question, Carrie. When we meet, we seat when the HTC meets, we seat all the members and all the members vote. Even if you're an alternate member, you can't introduce a motion if you're an alternate unless you're filling in because there isn't there aren't enough people to make up a quorum. But I've sat at all the meetings since since I was since I became an alternate member. I think it's been about a year and a half. Yep. Great. Thank you. All right. Helpful.

Thank you, Anthony. Uh I noticed that I thought I had caught this, but I didn't. So we have our alternate applying and we have another member of the community stepping forward to be uh and the advertise. But if we were to make Miss uh Cold Train the regular member, do we have to readvertise to then ask the next applicant if she would like to serve as the alternate? You can ask that tonight, but you really need to uh advertise it again in case somebody else wants to be an alternate.

Okay. So, will uh Miss Lisa Martins please come up? And if that being the case, next month you won't have to come back uh and interview again. Martins, Washington Street.

Uh tell us a little bit about yourself, why you'd like to be a part of the committee. Um, I have a passion for historic restoration. I spent the last 15 years uh managing and overseeing the restoration of my home on Washington Street and I've learned a lot from uh some very talented carpenters that have worked on the house and uh I'm just have free time now. I've retired and I'd like to give back to the community. Are there any questions the applicant? I guess my question would be uh if in fact we do uh meet Miss Colrin the full member you are you would like to keep your application in to

please. Yeah. Okay. Any other questions? I I guess for Tony my question would be would she have to reapply? No. Okay. And she wouldn't have to be reintered either. It's because what I'm concerned about is under the over meeting. Of course. Yes. Thought I caught it Wednesday, but I mean uh at the at the department meeting. Uh so is there a motion? Go ahead. I'll make a motion to uh appoint Joan Latrin and to advertise the alternates positions. I'll second that. All in favor? I. Okay. So I would have to come to the next meeting. No, you don't have to interview again and you don't have to apply again, but we are going to advertise for the alternate position.

Sure. But you are interested in the alternate but you're already Absolutely. I'm glad you asked that question. That was my question too. What exactly what does an alternate what the responsibilities are? Your name will appear as an applicant, but I don't have to physically be here. Correct. And if there are applicants as an office. Oh, wonderful. Okay. Thank you for your time. We Well, we welcomed you to come. to the next meeting. Okay. And you as long as we're at the top. Yeah. Yeah. Fine. Everyone feel free. You're welcome to attend the meetings anyway. And I would encourage you to attend the next meeting if it happens before the next meeting of the council.

She means you can go to meeting the the historic district committee meeting. Oh, attend that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Sounds good. You just can't vote. Oh, all right. [laughter] Okay. Thank you. Well, next we have acceptance of the minutes. These are of the October 14th, 2025 regularly scheduled meeting minutes. Anybody find any corrections or errors? I'm going to recuse myself. I wasn't here last month. That's right. I'll make a motion we approve the uh minutes for the October 14th. October 14th regular scheduled town council meeting. Second. All in favor? I.

Thank you. Next, we have the consent agenda. These are all items listed with an asterct and they're considered to be routine by the council. Is there a motion to pass the consent agenda? Some moved. Second. Second. All in favor? I.

Okay. Moving right along. Next, we have an ordinance, chapter 32, zoning ordinance, article 23, definitions. Section 32130, definitions. Article five, district use regulations. Sections 3231, criteria for specific categories of special use permits. The amendment to this zoning ordinance will allow for the retail sale of cannabis products in the business and rural business zoning districts. This is the second reading. Mr. the Cisco. So what you have before you is the definition of a cannabis retailer. That means an entity licensed pursuant to the Rhode Island general laws to purchase and deliver cannabis and cannabis products from cannabis establishments and to deliver, sell or otherwise transfer cannabis and cannabis products to cannabis establishments and to consumers. The cannabis retailer uh would be permitted by special use permit in the business zone and in the rural business zone.

I have a question, Mr. Hamley. Uh Tony, it's actually under 3246 agricultural uses. Shouldn't it be in a different place in the use tables? Because it's not an agricultural use. It's basically retail sales. We could move that. Yeah, I think it would fit better in in a different section of the the table. Okay. Does that change anything in tonight's No. So where did you want to change it to? See the main section that it's under on the use table. It's under an agricultural use, but this is basically just a retail sales. It should be in along with the other like restaurants that part of the use statement. There's not really there and they're not, you know. Mhm. So, it should be in in the the g the general business section.

It's probably a mistake from Y. Are there any other questions? Mr. Tromley, there any questions from the public? I I have a question. Mr. you go and we'll open up questions to the public. Sure. So, come on down. You You can come down. Sit right in the front pew. Yeah. Or are these pews? They're from St. Mary's. Go ahead, Mr.

I had a bunch of concerns about public health and safety costs and all those things. But, you know, since we did have the referendum, I I think that would be a lost cause. But my biggest concern is the legality of this where the federal government says it's not legal but the state saying it is legal and I know that the federal government trumps the uh the state law. So and I know it's accepting that they're accepting it but that could change at any point because they haven't relinquish the right to go after it. That's my concern. Mr. Sisto, you think you can answer that concern?

I can. Yes, that would be the uh that there's a definite risk to the uh business people that would be coming in because there is a uh dichotomy uh between uh state regulations and state law and and the federal law and how the federal government uh categorizes uh cannabis and cannabis products is still a scheduled drug. So in essence, someone could actually open up a retail and well they could actually close them all down and confiscate everything they had. There's a risk. Yes. Federal government. That's that that's the risk that's borne by the retailer as opposed to the town. One more thing, Mr. Hanley,

last month we I talked about how I would like to see uh something in the special use requirements uh limiting it to not within a mile of another cannabis retailer. I don't want to see like what happened on Route Six. You got within like 600 feet, you got two of them. And every time I drive by there, I take my life into my own hands because nobody's paying attention when they're coming in and out. Uh so I would want to see them that close together.

I think we can add that in our if we make a motion. you can and what you might want to consider and by the way um this is controlled by the state and you know John as you know uh Warren is part of a a larger um section where there's a limitation on the amount of retail licenses that will be granted by the um by the state I I currently but they can always increase that number if we put this in we're ahead of the game instead of being playing catchup again.

Well, you know, I thought about it since last month when when this issue came up and I I it seems to me from research that uh the best way to handle that would be to limit the number of licenses to be issued in the town and that would be in section 32-31 C6 new subsection C and that would be um uh that the uh uh licensed cannabis retailers in in the town of Warren would be limited to how many however many you want. One, two. Do we license them or does the state license them? Because if we don't license them, how can we control the number? You control by zoning. Okay. All right.

And if you're concerned about that, then you'd say that there'd be the mile radius. Okay. I think this next gentleman will have a lot to offer. Can I just ask a question before he does? So Tony, can you talk about a site control plan and when does that happen? That'd be in zoning. That wouldn't be in zoning.

That would be one of the considerations that the zoning board, if this ordinance is approved, what would happen is is that the zoning um board would get the application in and would have to take a look at these site control issues and things of that nature. That would be in connection with the granting of the special use permit. So, so if I understand if there's a building right now in place, would it matter if there's a building in place or not a place a building in place as far as putting that together?

If uh the uh if a potential cannabis retailer, if that plan included uh building a structure, then it would also require development plan review under the subdivision regulations. So, it' be a two-step process. Why don't we hold off on our questions because this next gentleman uh is in the industry. He's on our planning board and I think he'll have a a lot to offer uh in what he's about to say. Mr. President, council members, before I get started, just a dis say your name, please.

Blake Costa, 5 in Court Warren. Few disclosures. I am a member of the planning board. My comments here tonight are that of a private citizens. Correct. Um, secondary to that, I am a business owner in Rhode Island. I own a dispensary and exit and I also own a cultivation facility. I am a licensed um, operator and I cannot participate in the 22 licenses that are being issued. So, I'm the financial gain for me is not there. I'm here today as a citizen to provide my background, the education on what I experienced in this industry and what I think can protect this town. Mr. Cisco, are you good with that? Yeah. Oh, no. Yes.

All right. So, um, as I said, my name is Blake Cus. I've, you know, come from a strong military background. Did 17 16 years in the military. After my five years of active duty, I came to Rhode Island to study at University of Rhode Island. Um, following that, went to a premed route and I found cannabis as a career opportunity. I was later in my um years following the military and it kind of fitted some fit something as I was moving in to build a family. I came up to Rhode Island to start a cannabis business in Warick. I built a cultivation facility. Since then, I've grown it from four of my partners to 150 employees with operations span in seven states. Um, I become very good at operating these businesses as a chief operating officer. In addition, I do this constantly. I'm in front of town councils, planning boards, and zoning boards. I've seen cannabis implemented in towns, Jersey, Maryland, New York City, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. the states I work in, I've seen it right and I've seen it wrong. And I think you guys have the opportunity to not only capitalize on this, but do it right to protect our town. To the point of capping it at stores, that is something I've seen throughout in ordinances and regulations. I think that is a brilliant idea. We don't need a 100 dispensaries here. You maybe need two. You only need a couple. What the market look like and what it will do to this town. This is a $4 million store. The Portsmith tax data is public. They've collected about $100,000 from one dispensary servicing all of Aquinic Island. They're probably doing based on the math around4 million a year. These aren't huge businesses. They have high operating costs. So at that size of a dispensary, 4 million, you can anticipate around 200 cars or 200 transactions daily throughout a 360day calendar year. With that being said, this isn't going to be like um Northeast's Alternative, which sees probably approximately 600 cars a day on

Route 6. It's going to be a fraction of that. You're capturing the individuals going to Aquinic Island, going to Bristol, or from the community. You're not going to see a lot of traffic, but that is a major pin um pinpoint that can impact our town. So when we cite these, ensuring that the planning or zoning board has the appropriate authority to make sure they mitigate the traffic impact of the businesses is the best thing for our community. So now I know I only have three minutes, but no. Yeah,

you know, between capping the businesses, ensuring there's a good odor mitigation plan. Odor mitigation, it's not a big thing, but it could be a nuisance to some people. I'm sure some of you probably wonder why I smell like cannabis today because I did come from my cultivation facility. So, making sure they have good odor mitigation practices, making sure we're not lighting up the skies. I was guilty of this in Extra Rhode Island. I wasn't conscious enough and I put out my lights and I installed them uh wrong. And in North Kingtown, I was able to see my development. I took steps to fix it, but those are thing if the town didn't have ordinances and I wasn't a good business operator. They might not they might have been like they can't do anything. Now I I'm pling the the sky and I'm ruining the environment for our community. Traffic impact ensuring there's a qualified traffic impact study. We're having the peer review. That's the biggest thing that can impact as you see what 600 people coming out of Northeast Alternatives looks like. It's crazy. Will we have that here? I'm saying no. But is there an opportunity that this store does flourish and do well? Yes. So to protect ourselves, mitigating the traffic. As far as the security risk and the risk to the miners, I operate probably 250,000 transactions a year throughout all my businesses. I'm giving out a lot of product. Not once in the past eight years have I had a parent group, a police department, a school come to me because young children are getting this in their hands. That's an invalid argument and I would challenge that argument each time. Additionally, for security, these we have strict security requirements. We're one of the only regulated businesses where the regulators can go into our security system at any point and see our cameras. The security footprint from a cannabis um dispensary is not you can't see it from the outside. It's not barb wire fences. They're not trying to block it off. They want people to come, but it's

safe. you have um a lot of times less windows. You have a facility that's more hardened on the inside where if someone does break in, they're not going to get the product. You have to have it in a secure bolt. In addition, every product that comes in that door is tracked by the seed to sale tracking system metric. That's statemandated. You have to account for every grand. And every time, let's say a dispense uh you dispense a product wrong, you have to provide an explanation to the state why you can't account for that. So the internal theft of it is mitigated by the state. Lastly, the state regulatory body over the years has grown. They are very good at managing these businesses. They show up unannounced. They inspect you. They go into your system. They check your records. They do due diligence on the owner and operators. These are safe businesses. They don't have a negative impact to the community unless we let them. by allowing too many in the town and by not ensuring we mitigate where we place them and having tra additional traffic on child street or main street. That'd be like the worst case. We never want to see this place there. This is a market street, a metaccom type of use. Um so I don't really have anything scripted. I just want to give you some information. I'm a resource for the town. I'm a member of this community. Um and like Mr. Bruisie said, I'm just here to get involved. So there's any questions from the town council, I would love to answer them. Any questions?

I guess I'm gonna ask the same question I asked Tony about the legality of from the federal, you know. Well, he doesn't have anything different to Well, yeah. And I think those questions before as a town, right? Like as a business owner, I take that risk. I know that my kids future isn't wrapped up in this business. Like this is my livelihood. I understand I take that risk. But as a town, I don't, you know, I What is a risk to us? If they get shut down, they get shut down. Maybe we got a year of revenue. a year out of a $4 million store could be $100,000 in revenue for us. That's a sign significant impact especially for those of us who, you know, we know what the budget looks like. We can use that.

So, so let me tell you where where I see the liability and Tony, you're you're our legal counsel. So, we would give them a license.

Well, so the way the licenses of this work is a state. It used to be run by DBR, Office of Cannabis Regulation. Now it's under the governor with the um cannabis control commission. They they're going to do a lottery. This is how I got my store. Someone goes in with a blindfold picture number out. You get a store. They're split between multiple zones. They're only going to allow 22. Individual gets a license. They need to show that they have a property secured and that the town will like it. Then that individual is going to have to enter into lease, get all the appropriate insuranceances, and then come for the special use permit, which is going to be its own process. Once they're done with that, they can build out their dispensary. Throughout that process, the state is going to check in on them on how they're building out. They'll have to submit SOPs, background checks, staffing plans, labor peace agreements, a skew of things that need to go to the state. Then the state comes in, inspects, says, "You meet all the requirements. You're safe. Here's a license. Pay us half a million dollars." That's what it takes every year to keep this license. And then the state will inspect you and you'll renew it yearly. as a town and I've seen town issues licenses in the past. From a a town professional standpoint, I would advise against that. It's the state does a very good job managing this. They have the workforce in place. As a small town, we shouldn't burn ourselves with licensing them. So, it' be the state that controls the license.

Well, that's kind of my question. If we were to give them a license, and that's good recommendation. we were to give them a license and all of a sudden someone goes in there, buys a lot of marijuana, has an accident, is there a liability towards us where someone could say, "Hey, you know what? This accident was caused because of the marijuana that was sold at that store that you should a license to and you really shouldn't have because it was against federal law."

Yeah, actually, Mr. Cas is correct. What you're being asked to do tonight is to enact the necessary zoning regulations to allow for this use. But uh the license is issued by the state. So there'd be no liability to the town. Also uh with the issuance of the license uh that doesn't uh automatically attach liability to the state uh for that license. rather the liability would go to the um retailer uh uh the retail establishment of which we you know most retailers as I do we carry liability and product product and liability insurance anyone else have any qu Mr. Tromley

uh Mr. Costa, thank you for being here tonight. Um, sorry, Costa or Aasta? Costa. Costa. Thank you. Um, my question would be just for clarification for the public's purpose. Um, even if we p if we pass this tonight, it would still a business would still have to come before the planning board before you and seek a special use permit before anything could get built. This is not a buy right situation that we're doing. Correct. And before they can even do that or should invest in that, they would need to secure a license from the state, which they're only issuing 22. So right now, everyone in the states in a property grab to be a part of this lottery. They want to lock in a property and participate, but only 22 are going out.

So this doesn't guarantee passing this does not guarantee that any location would be in Warren at all, but it just starts the process to potentially having that in the future. Correct. We're we're creating an opportunity. Correct. and we're entrusting our boards such as the planning and zoning boards to make sure that if this opportunity would come to life, it does so in a safe manner. Any other questions? A motion. I think maybe was a public hear no but I got Is there anyone else who would like to uh chime in one way or the other on this? Uh Mr. President, member of the board. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Thank you. Come on down. If anybody is in line, just sit right in the front pew and you'll be next.

Um just briefly, my name is Maria Ursini. I am a resident and I also um um am affiliated with the War Prevention Coalition. Um so the state right now has eight licenses. They're opening it up to quite a few more. Um so it is a lottery. But the other thing that I want to make sure that you're also aware of it is some of these businesses aren't making the money they thought they would. The federal government is. And as far as our community is concerned as far as making money, you're only looking at approximately the most you can make is 3%. So there's still a lot more to learn about this. And remember, there will be an impact in our safety, police, fire, and so forth. So, the most you can get is 3%. So, the money that you're going to be making, are you going to be able to have more employees and more volunteers on the fire department and employees with the uh police department? Because, as we know, close by Route Six, I mean, you know, you can drive by there every day and there's some kind of an accident. So, and I do have further information um that, you know, we can share with you. Um um I do join a meeting once a month with um someone from DO in the statewide that we talk just about you know this particular subject. So um if there's anything that I can or our office can help you with more than happy to be able to pass on some educational piece.

Thank you. Marie, just a quick question. Does us having cannabis in town affect any of the grants we get for substance prevention or any of that? No, there's no. And uh if I was heard correctly, the Portsmith store sold $4 million in a year. They have no look at the sales tax $100,000.

Thank you. Uh, so Joan Col Train again. Hello. I'm just curious about why at one point uh the town council was unwilling to consider cannabis a retail cannabis outlet in Warren and why we're now considering it. Is it because the state is offering more licenses? Has anything changed with regard to our community that we feel um warrants a change like this? I think they can I Mr. Hley as 20 and 22 there will be referendum on the ballot.

The town of Warren the residents passed the resolution to allow this in the town of Warren. That's why we're in the locations where the people that win the lottery could pick a town like Warren for it. So, it was it's actually the voters that passed the referendum to actually allow this to happen and warrant. We're just trying to regulate it the best we can so it doesn't get out of hand and out of control. But it is the it's the referendum that drove this whole machine right here. And the state process the state process is playing out right now as well. So we have the referendum and now the state process for dispensing those dispensary licenses is happening now as well. Mr.

So to answer your question because I looked into this because I had the same question. So the state uh said either the towns have a referendum and if they vote no that's fine but if they don't have the referendum it's an automatic yes. So I think there was six uh six communities. Bington was one of them. little Compton and it was a couple more uh that they opted out but in Warren they voted it in but it was a state it was kind of I thought it was kind of tricky on a state park mandating it and if you didn't vote that we allowed the town people the opportunity to voice their opinion

by going with the referendizable sizable number that approved it I think it was like 6040 so it was pass so that any Any other questions? No, I I I was just going to say it'd be interesting to know what the voter turnout was with regard to the number of approvals versus um those who were opposed. I have that answer. Well, from a legal perspective, once it passes, I realize I realize that. Yeah. So, so Mr. Regal evidently has the information. I do my homework. Wow.

So, we had 2,278 approvals and 1,678 that were against it. So, we had a total of 4,000 voters. So, when you look at it from here, it says 57 in favor, 42 against, but if you look at what do we have, 8,000 voters. So, that was a quarter percent of the people from Warren that supported it. Okay. So, when you look at these numbers, thank you. Sorry.

I would just express my concern about the effects of cannabis. I think and I know that this is not I have no influence here, but I do have concerns and I hope that we don't see um those concerns come to pass. You do have influence here.

Thank you. really. I've had I I remember one year someone brought it to our attention that their road was dirt and that their child had asthma and it was during our budget cycle and I never knew that there was a dirt road there and we paved it. So, um yeah, it helps. Um, the other thing I want to point out geographically, we're in a rather unique area where you can drive five minutes down the road in either direction and be in Massachusetts. So, uh, if you know we were to ever say no to this, it's really down the road. And I know it wouldn't be here, but it's not like the number of people that I do know who drive down the road to get it. And if they're going to buy it and they're going to get taxed revenue to the town, that $100,000 we can spend. And uh I kind of look at it like a liquor store. And I know that if the police chief had any uh disagreement with what we were doing in this process, uh he would absolutely tell us uh because we listen to what he says and it's not really coming out that way. So Mr. Disto, please on the rest of the legal language and again we're not advocating for the use. We're just allowing people to have the opportunity to buy it and tax it and warrant.

Sad but true.

So, uh to answer uh John's question, I I actually agree with Joe. I think what happened is is in the initial drafting it went into agricultural uses uh because it was included with the cooperative cultivations which are more agricultural. Uh it is however I think you're correct more appropriate to put cannabis retailer into section 32-53 which includes other retail uses. So that would be the first amendment. The second second amendment uh again uh by uh Mr. Hanley is uh one of two things for consideration. The first is whether or not there should be a radius between licenses. I think a mile radius is appropriate. Uh that would be in section 32-31C6 subsection C. uh onem radius uh between the uh uh closest uh retail cannabis store or limit the licenses that would be a new subsection 12 to one statelicicensed uh cannabis retailer in the town or two whatever it is but that you'd have a limitation. The third one uh that was discussed would be in uh again same section 32-31C 9 a new sentence uh traffic study uh shall be uh required to be submitted with the site plan.

Did you get that? Those are the three um proposed amendments that I've heard. What about the odor mitigation? Is that included in the language already? That might be regulated by the state as well. That may be part of the licensing. The state's pretty thorough on what they what they get into. I know that a lot of things uh b have a baseline state. For example, distance from schools and places of worship as well. I'm not sure. Can we just add it as you say belts and suspenders?

Yeah. make sure that a a a state-of-the-art odor mitigation is part of the requirement for a permit. I know that you drive by uh certain dispensaries um uh or cultivators and you [clears throat] can like I'm going to get my car service tomorrow and there's a place across the across the highway and it you can smell it and it's to me it's not an unpleasant smell. I'd rather smell that than a lot of other things, but it's not something we should impose on our community.

I I recommend then in section 32-31C or add the following sentence at the end along with uh odor mitigation devices approved by the building official. Okay. Is there anyone else would like to speak on this before we take action? All right. I have a I think I have a motion. It together.

Okay. I will make a motion that we approve the ordinance change on the uh retail cannabis with the addition of the requirement for traffic study, the addition of the odor limitating limiting uh language as the solicitor suggested. And then the last two things I want to put I want to put boots and suspenders on this. And I want to include the onem radius and I want to limit the license number to one because the state and its infinite wisdom. If they wanted two here, they'll overrule us and make us have to take two. But with the onem radius, that's pretty much going to limit us to just one because there's very certain areas in town where you can have it. So I would like both of those in this. So in case the state decides they want to take over, we have that second part of it with the onem radius that will cover us that way in case the state wants to say, "Well, we can give the licenses to who we want when we want wherever they go."

Wouldn't we be able to have one on medic? We probably could we might be able to have two, but with the one mile radius, it's certainly not going to let four or five pop. They're not going to be right next to each other. And if the state wants to issue three licenses here, the state's going to issue three licenses here because they really don't care what we think. Okay? They care about the money. Which one? What if you had a five mile radius? Town's only five and a half. That would probably be very difficult for him to back up. Get that get Yeah, the one mile because they do one miles on certain restaurant on a liquor license. They agree. I've been up to Maine. They're one after another. Mr. Trumaly. Oh, sorry. I was just going to say even we can set it at one and then if a second one comes in that we think is perfectly reasonable, then we can increase it to two. Is that correct, Tony? You could.

So, I think that that makes sense for Mr. I think the reason why I want to put the one mile in, Derek, is just to protect ourselves in case the state decides that they want to jam more of them in this area with the one mile. It's going to limit and you can do but we can do both. We can do correct one mile radius. Yeah. Yep. And then if there was an applicant, we could always change that. We could change it. All right. Is there I will second if discussion. Yes. You have I believe did did you get that Sandy? Okay. Okay. Rego has discussion.

Yeah. So again, when I started uh when I started talking, I you know, I didn't want to get into the buckley health and the safety cost. And when we're looking at, you know, possibly raising $100,000, that may be a small cost, a small gain, uh versus what could actually cost the town. But um again, uh I'm I'm going to be against this, uh because of the reason I initially said and was because I believe that federal law trumps this. But we can have our vote. Okay. Uh any other discussion on the motion? All in favor? I. All right. Nay.

Next we have ordinance number two. And this is zoning article 20 sign regulations section 32 1111 definitions in section 3212 general. This is the second reading and this is has to do with feather banner signs. Uh it's an amendment and it's a recommendation from our building official.

Yeah. I direct your attention to page two uh section 32-112A 3. Um these um uh the the uh words blowup signs and feather banners. Yeah. are um are uh not permitted along with the other signs that are not uh uh permitted in the town. If you have any questions, we'll be happy to answer them. That's what we're adding. You're adding them as as You're adding that language to that section. Correct. You're adding it so that uh it's not a permitted use. Are there any questions in the solicitor? Tony, if we were to approve this tonight, I know there's some out there. Would we give them 30 days? How would that work? Legal.

Well, they're grandfathered in. Oh, they are. Oh yeah. But then once they come down that's it. Okay. And you know uh these blowup signs if they blow away it is getting a little excessive. Yes. I'm a little confused that the agenda is saying 32-11 but I my page two starts as 32-112. Yes. It it should be 32-112. Okay. Does that matter? It does not because it's clear from the uh agenda that you're banning these uh blowup signs. Okay. Is there anyone from the public? Sorry, it's okay.

You may or may not impact us. Is that what that's saying? Uh all depends. If you take it down, you're not forever. You're violating. Okay.

Somehow. Um I'm Christie. Hi. Um, I own a couple things in this town now, which is crazy to say. Um, I am a mobile food establishment and this is kind of a necessity, right? Having a sign wherever I go is something you put up because people have no idea. They would just see rainbow. Um, and they have no idea what I do. Um, I also have the storefront now which is in a very weird position because it's part bike path, part street. And I have these quality looking banners, if you will, or flags or feather, I think that was the word. Um, that are in our planters so that people know that I have coffee and pastry there. So, places like Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's or Burger King have these giant, they're corporations, they have these giant signs, right? They have the capability of doing that. But somebody small, like majority of us in this cute small town, um, don't have the ability to have a sign like that, which is also obnoxious. We're talking about a banner or an A-frame or, you know, something saying what we're doing. So, I am 100% against this considering what I do for a living. And again, not being able to tell people what I actually do is kind of crippling. And I feel that way for a lot of businesses. Well, these uh these are the specific uh bend with that ripple that just possibly the way you're using them maybe you put them up, you take them down. What's become a problem are uh places in town that attach them to a fence.

Yeah. And they start off red, white, and blue, and then they turn a faded who knows because they've never been taken down. Uh the other problem is the guy that in well nobody wants that. I mean that's dead. Well I shouldn't say nobody. I mean there are places that don't ban them. U so you did it interest me Mr. Dista when you spoke about the the grandfathered in aspect. So we have a in this case it's grandmotherthered in. That's right. Know your role. Well you know I I'm learning. Here's here's the thing. Here here's the thing. You you you you have prohibited

you have prohibited uh two specific types of signs. The squiggly guy. Yeah. Can't do that anymore. And the so-called feather banner. However, uh you mentioned the sandwich board. That's still okay. The portable one is still okay. Uh a banner in and of itself, that's okay. However, the feather banner. No. But how? But but what coffee on it? But how? But but you did say that it was a She gets to keep it. It's legal non-conformity. Well, once she gets to keep it.

Yes. So that I would like her to hear that because I'd want to hear it. So she owns one. It's been up. It's illegal non-conforming. She gets to keep it. Correct. It's a a legal n it's a prior non-conforming use and therefore legal. See, but there'll be no more. But if something happens to it, if it's an act of God and we if it's an act of God, we have the serial number and we know or in this case, mother nature. Yeah. Honestly, what we're what we're looking for is um again, even with all of the ordinances that we try to

Okay, so listen, seriously, uh what we try to do with the ordinances is not to have to really enforce them like as a uh go out and arrest you kind of thing. So, you have it, it's there, keep it clean, keep it nice, you know, don't tie it to the fence, don't have it fall down and blow into somebody's yard. Um, we know I know you, so I know that you care about your business and what you're doing. Uh, so it is on the books, but as Mr. Hanley stated, uh, you do wish to keep it as a non-conforming because it's prior to when we made this ordinance. The other

I think Mr. Troley had something to say or no. Okay. The other option we would could could have if the council wants to go that way is we could make those types of signs a special use permit where they would have to appear before a board with certain conditions. It can only it has to be this far from the street. It can't do this. It has to do X. It has to do Y. It has to do Z. But that would some of them have laid on across the sidewalk and just never got picked up. So it turned into like, you know, one of those kind of things. Then with a special use permit, if they if they get out of those parameters, it would give the building official the authority to uh make them remove the sign or actually bring it back into conformance. That's I don't know which way the council wants to go with that.

And they can do that down the road. Correct, Mr. Rego. So you you had mentioned you had a mobile trailer. Yes. So I'm I we've never met before. Hi. Hi. Hi. Um I have a mobile cart. I do mocktails. Um so I can take my cart over. Oh, yeah. We've met. Okay. So, so I guess my question is if she takes it down from the trailer and moves the trailer, she's no longer grandfathered, right? Or does the grandfather go with the trailer? Goes with the property. I'm not familiar with the signing. Okay. So, the the the feather things that I'm talking about are at my storefront. Okay. So, that's a little different. My mobile thing, I am like attached. I have three umbrellas that are on I have an A-frame. Like that's I think you'll be good there.

Yeah. But I'm more concerned on it's very hard because of where it's dark and where I'm located. It's just like it's in our personal planter. It's not on the bike path. It's not She's at the point which would be uh how do we describe that? Right near where I live. Right across from used to be Larry's used to be Larry Synoko. Like that's what I was trying not to go to 40 years ago. Larry Gary next to Bur Hill Park on the street.

But it's not like I just and I I kind of want to be an advocate for other business like smaller businesses. I mean, we are not a McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts where they have these flashy things. Like, you can't afford to do something like that. But these are more inexpensive, classier looking things that get to the point and say what we're doing. They're not that wavy thing, you know, like a gas station or something. See, I think the problem is one is okay, but when you're going down the road, like I didn't, to be honest with you, I wasn't really paying attention till this came up and I was like, I see them all over the place. It's it's a little So, we we hear you. Thank you for your for your bringing it forward. I don't want to ask my job. Uh

I'll make a motion to pass the ordinance changes to section 112, not 111. And we can always in the future react revisit it if we want to go to special use permit. Sounds good. All in favor? I.

Thank you. Next we have chapter 32 zoning article five special use permit section 3231 standards for specific categories of special use permits article 8 zoning district use regulations section 3252 service business uses article 23 definitions section 32130 definitions kennels doggy dayare their application first reading. Good evening. Good evening, Mr. President and council members. Michael Monty of S readant there on behalf of the petitioner.

Yes. So what you have before you uh you've seen before at this point um about a month and a half ago we were before you uh proposing a definition for kennels/d doggy daycarees uh standards by which to permit that newly defined use in the manufacturing district by special use permit. Uh and then also we're presenting an ordinance to create a licensing fee in regime for that use as well. Uh it would be by special use permit only. The planning board uh heard the petition last month and unanimously found that it uh was consistent with the comprehensive land use plan and consistent with the purpose of zoning. um since the last time we were before you, we went through the the very particular criteria um that we were proposing and there were some concerns about the number of animals allowed. Um so since the planning board also shared that concern, we're proposing one change to what's before you and I have copies of that if I could submit uh to the town clerk. I sent this earlier today. I don't know if it's Oh, excellent. So, in addition to all of the other standards that uh were already before you, we're also proposing that the reviewing board, which would either be the zoning board or the planning board, depending on the type of application, shall have the authority to set the maximum number of animals permitted in the kennel. But in the case of dogs, the maximum number of dogs permitted shall not be less than 10 dogs per 1,000 square ft of the facility's floor area. Um, so this would just allow

Shouldn't that be not more than No, they want to be sure they don't want to limit it that level. Yes. So you can set a maximum. However, you can't um you have to allow at least 10. Yeah. So, you have to allow at least 10 per 1,000 square feet of a facility's floor area. How many how many square feet do you have? That's 100. Well, if you had if you had a um Yeah. So, the facility that my client has is 4,800 square feet. So, that would be 48 um 48 dogs. Um and we propose this specifically. You said 4,800 square feet. Yeah. You let you want to allow 10 dogs per thousand. That's a 100 dogs in a 1,000 square foot area.

No, that's 10,000. No. So, uh, if there were a 100,000 square feet of floor area, then yes, it would be 100 dogs. That would be 100 dogs. What I'm reading right here is 10 square feet per dog. Oh, no. 10 dogs in 1,000 square foot. 10 times 100 is a thousand. Yeah. So, every 100 square feet you can have a dog. So in order for a 100 that would mean 10,000 square feet would be required. Yes. The intent certainly if we did the math wrong I apologize but certainly the intent of it was to be for every 1,000 square feet of the facility's floor area you could have 10 dogs. So Max you could have at this point 48. Hold on. Wait. Let's stop. Let's stop.

Who's going to be our mathematician? Because I don't want to go back and forth. What's a thousand? What's a th00and divided by 10? 100. Yes. That's a 100 dogs in a 10,000 square foot area. That's pretty simple math. I'm trying to get to a point. No, I think it's 48 dogs most you could have, right? Yeah. Yeah. So, the way I I wrote this uh earlier today uh with the idea being that you could have 10 dogs per 1,000 square feet. That would be each dog would have uh 100 feet. That's correct. Okay. So, that's what you mean. Yes. And I think that's that's what that formula would mean. I that's certainly how I read it, but I'm I'm happy to

No, it's amended consistently with that simple. Yeah.

Um and and the reason we proposed this was specifically because the state regulations are are are very um are much more generous uh to applicants. So, we wanted to create a standard that was a little bit tougher for the community here. Um, while the facility that my client has would be entirely indoors, we're also proposing that for facilities where there might be outdoor uh play areas that those outdoor exercise areas would only be accessible from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Can I ask a question specific? Um,

you're never going to let the dogs that you are either having for doggy daycare or as an overnight um stay or possible multiple nights overnight. You're not going to let them outside. So, we have like a whole fenced in like front yard area at my um my building and so we'll be taking them for leashed walks um but they're not going to be allowed to play outside. We have indoor designated play areas for them and it's mostly it's it's a day training facility. So everything is regimented and organized so that there's no chaos. So um they have different activities to do through throughout the day.

Okay. I I was just thinking like dogs have to get outside. Yes, we have to go for walks. So, they'll go outside, but there's no general uh play area where they're outside for, you know, at my facility, but we recognize other places may, but not what you're doing. Yes. Okay. Do you want to continue? No. Um I think that's it. Um the rest of the standards I think speak for for themselves, but I'm happy to answer any questions um as they come up.

Okay. Mr. Assist now. So, uh to me the key to the um whole ordinance aside from the uh fact that there's it creates a kennel special use permit in the um manufacturing zone is the definition section section 30 32-1 uh 30 and that would be on page seven. Uh the kennel means a facility housing dogs, cats or other household pets overnight and or daycare and where grooming, breathing, boarding, training andor selling of animals is conducted as a business. So that's what you're approving. If if this um proposal is to be approved tonight, you would approve that use. It would require the special use permit by the zoning board uh uh uh to be permitted with the other things that Mr. Monty has discussed with the limitations and everything else. The only other thing that I'd call your attention to, and I know you have it in your packet, is that the planning board actually recommended a uh a larger setback uh area than what's proposed in the ordinance. It's a 75 ft. I'm advised that uh uh the planning board thought 100 ft would be more appropriate. It's just something to consider. That's from the planning board. Uh usually what they do in matters of this nature is is make a determination as to whether or not this complies with the um town's comprehensive plan, which they did find. Uh but they also put that suggestion in also. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer

J. Does the applicant have that room? Uh yes. So, the 100 foot setback that the planning board uh referenced was for outdoor exercise areas because uh the petitioner does not have an outdoor exercise area. We do not object from changing that number from 75 to 100. But if she ever wanted an outdoor exercise area, does I'm trying to help you best. Well, there would need to be an entirely different type of facility and an entirely different location. I know I know the site the back of that site. It's a great big ditch and it's a swamp. Yes, there would be. We have no objection to 100 ft. Just trying to make sure you don't tell me. And if they did, I know you've been through enough.

If they did, they would have to ask for a dimensional barrier for that so they'd be further relief downwards. Okay. U Mr. Desisto, we've always had a kennel license in town for people who hobby breed. Is this in any way opening up a whole different uh box in a different direction? No, because it's a manufactured. Yes, Carrie's correct actually. All right. So, the special [clears throat] she said, repeat what she said. I don't know if your microphone picked it up. Well, this is only for the manufacturing zone.

So, in the manufacturing zone, you have an expanded definition for a kennel that would include uh daycare facilities for dogs, but also kennel the traditional kennel facilities. Guess where this is. There have been people who've come in to town and wanted to do a kennel and we've always told them no. So now if somebody wants to come into town and do a kettle, they could go into a manufacturing zone and and have that business opportunity now that never existed before. That's correct. Yes. The the uh previous kennel that you discussed remains hobby breeding remains the same. Okay. The only thing that caught me by surprise on this is the the selling of the animals.

Well, if you're having a kennel, if you're breeding puppies, right? But I always thought it was going to be But it's a special use permit. I always thought it was going to be for the the boarding daycare and overnight care. But it's a special use permit as well. Correct. Yeah. Uh uh advised by the applicant in a sidebar that that's not part of her business and she has no objection. Yeah. Okay. Oh, you don't I mean you you don't mind getting rid of that? I I promote animal rescue. I run a 501c3 nonprofit animal rescue and I would appreciate actually that being removed. Okay. Well, we're not saying that something would be done wrong, but you know. Yeah.

But I wouldn't mind kind of making this to help you and not necessarily bringing something that we really weren't prepared for down the road. All right. So, uh, I kind of agree with her. How do we scrap I think how do we scrap that? I think I could if I made a motion. Now, did you get a chance to re review that confusing? So, it would limit it to 10 and 1,000 square feet. Correct. Yes. Okay. All right. That's fine. Then we don't have to change that if the motion to approve should be amended to eliminate sale of And I was going to also increase the set back to 100 feet as recommended by the planning board. and it's otherwise uh acceptable. Are there any other questions?

Okay, I'll make Is this a public hearing? I can't remember. It's just an I guess my only again as long as you have the dogs on the leash, you're good. But as soon as one gets loose, you're in violation. Just be careful. It's only a joke. Always a joker. Anybody in the public? Does anybody in the public like to speak on this issue since it's going to be a change to the manufacturing? Okay. Hearing,

I will make a motion that we approve uh the changes in the use table to add a kennel as a special use permit in the MB zone and change the definition to eliminate the selling of animals and also in the special use requirements to increase the 75 foot buffer for the ex outside exercise area to 100 ft. Second. All in favor? I.

Okay. Next, we have chapter 3 article 4. Kennel licenses section 4-1 the licensing of kennels's doggy daycare application first reading uh so this is just the uh uh connected licensing uh provision so the proposal is that there would be a licensing fee each year for anyone who gets a special use permit from the zoning board or who otherwise operates a kennel as defined and it would be $250. Are there any questions on that? Anthony, you reviewed this. You're good with it? I am. It's in good form. Make a motion to approve. I'll second. All in favor? I

There you go. That's the first reading. It'll be on the agenda. It'll be on the agenda next month for the second reading, but there you go. Very much. You're on your way. And again, we apologize about the legal delay for the correct processes, but thank you for your check with us first and any of your future business. Take care. Thank you. Good luck. Bye-bye.

Uh, next we have a public hearing. This is the request for an abandonment of Sixth Street, a paper road located north of Lincoln Avenue, abuing lots 13D-44, 13D-119, and 13D-129 Lincoln Avenue. This is uh petition is from James C and Mary E. Goff, 46 Patterson Avenue, Warren, Rhode Island. uh owners of plat 13D lot 44. Um Mr. Disto, how do you want to start this off since it's based on law? Hi, Mr. G.

Well, uh you know, Mr. Goff should make his presentation and uh then after he gets done, I'd like to make some comments as to the statutory requirements uh uh that take place when a uh street of this nature is abandoned by a town. So, should I Why don't we have Mr. Golf? We'll have Mr. Goff and then Yes. Okay. Hi, Mr. Goff. Come on up. Good evening. I'm Jim Goff. My wife would come, but she's ill. So, um I included in the application a letter that all of you have.

Yep. And item number one I need to modify because I talked to the fire chief about the access to fire hydrants thinking that the access from the back would be closer to us if there was a fire. But he said the fire trucks all carry 1,000 ft of hose. Yeah. Which is enough to get down the street to our house from the fire head on Patterson. The one on Lincoln is only about 400 feet away, so it would be an accessory. Um, I leave it up to him. What Whatever you said and he said.

Yeah. Um, so you can read the rest of it. Um, the other things that have come up was, um, Monday night my wife had to call 911 because her blood pressure skyrocketed. So they came and came up the driveway and no problem. But I spend most of my time in the basement [clears throat] of a of a ranch house. And since I'll be 80 in a month, I think about what happens if I have a medical emergency in the basement or fall and break a hip or something and to get out of the basement up the stairs and snake through the house or six steps up the back entrance to the backyard and easy access through Sixth Street, the the paper street.

They'll get you.

Yeah. Um, and then a week ago, Friday, the public works department came and put do not dumping not allowed signs at the entrance to the paper street out at Liberty Street, one facing the lot to the east, one facing into the woods on the left, and one facing our backyard. Um, and it was a brand new shiny sign and I couldn't stand the looks of it. So, I went out and put a trash bag over the top and 9:00 the next morning, knock on the front door. It's a policeman saying, "We've had a complaint about the sign that we just put up that you're not supposed to put a plastic bag over the top." But he said this in a joking manner. And the previous couple of weeks ago, we I got my wife a new car. My daughter was taking the old her old car. So we pack parked it right in our backyard on Sixth Street. 9:00 the next morning, knock knock on the door. The police were there with a neighborhood complaint that we were parking a car on the paper street, which is ridiculous. Well, are you aware that your neighbors are all have a very strong opinion on this?

Yes. Okay. Yeah. So,

so I'm unfortunately stuck in the position of um it's sort of um a little tiny pro concern has been blown all out of proportion. I had called the police chief two weeks ago, left a message. Please call me about this. I called him again about a week ago, left a message, never heard back. I went over there to the police department Monday morning, talked to the assistant chief and said I'd have to file a public records request to get all the phone calls the police department has received and responded to about complaints about the six paper street and I just limited it to when we moved in which is four years ago. And so we the somebody from the police department called me this afternoon just to clarify that there have been innumerable complaints, photographs sent to the police department or public works um about trash being thrown there, yard waste being thrown there, vehicles being parked there. and we've been there 4 years and there's no trash cuz I mow it when appropriately or yard waste is never dumped there other than one during the summer our neighbor Rob O'Brien went out and with a hedge clipper cut back some of the overgrowing uh rose bushes and left them on the ground and one of the neighbors told me he left all the neighbor over there left all this stuff there and he shouldn't

have and I said I'll just mow let it dry out and mow over it and so what um so the signs there really blew it out of proportion. It probably cost the town $1,000 for two men to come over with a truck and put in four brand new signs. I talked with Brian Wheeler about it and um he gotten complaints and he said he can use the signs somewhere else. So, um I'm still willing to um there's also a discrepancy on surveys between the town GIS and um Google Maps and the survey that I have as to exactly where the Sixth Street extension is. Um,

oh, the the the the [clears throat] Google maps won't have any reference to what we're dealing with. Correct. So, when you look at Google Maps, right? What I'm saying is it could even Google Maps could show that it's not even there. But that's not what we'll be referencing. Oh, I know that. So, we'll only be dealing with But there's a discrepancy between the survey that I've provided to you and the town map that they use to notify the neighbors. That will that will and I've let me attempt to pardon right there. Hold right there. Mr. Disto is uh is there such a discrepancy?

Yeah, I've contacted the surveyor and he hasn't called me back about what's involved in getting a new survey as to where the Well, let's get really let's get an answer to the question. Class one survey. Yes. Okay. Yeah. So, you know, Google Maps, uh, the town's GIS maps, they don't control last one, survey controls, but I'd like to address some of your points. Sure. If I may, Mr. Pap,

thank you for your information. So, um, you know, this is, uh, what you're doing, uh, uh, tonight on this public hearing is governed by section, uh, 24-6-1 of the general laws. And in order to abandon a uh a public right of way such as this uh extension of Sixth Street, uh the town council has to make a determination uh that uh this parcel this right ofway has ceased to become useful as a public right of way. If you do that, uh, the land reverts to the abuing property owners at the center line of the street. That would be lots 129 and 119. Uh, Mr. Goff in the back at 44 uh, is not considered in a butter because he's at the end of the dead end of that. So, that's what you need to do. The question is is whether or not uh the DPW director, fire chief, and uh police chief uh uh consider that this uh um this right of way has ceased to become useful as a public right of way.

I I'm sorry. I was distracted by the something that you uh put on the desk earlier this evening. Mr. Rego was trick-or-treating a little bit late. I asked for a piece of chalk. Stop. Please. Seriously, re I didn't hear what you said. Okay. [clears throat] Uh, this is governed by section 24-6-1 of the general laws. Yes. The town council is required to make a determination or not uh that this um 6th Street has ceased to become useful as a public way. That determination is typically made after hearing from the police chief, the fire chief and the DPW director.

If that's the case and if it has ceased to become useful as a public way, uh it would revert uh to the abuing property owners to the center line. That would be uh lot um one assessor's lot 119 and assessor's lot 129. Got it.

Now, if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer to them. Just one thing. If you do abandon the road, those property owners would be required to file an administrative subdivision uh with the planning board for approval and uh then um it would be recorded in the land evidence records and it would be uh conclusive as to their title. All right. I'm going to ask if anyone of the council has questions now on this part of what we've heard. Mr. DGO. So, so it seems like the people that will have use for this is Mr. Goff and then whoever is on block 45. Now,

this is Mr. G. These two people would get it. I I I realize that, but it seems like Mr. Goff because of the the his hill on the front of his house has been utilizing that. Well, no, I'd like to answer his questions first. No, I did. We're gonna we're going to do this in chunks. So, right now, we're going to go over what Mr. Goff presented and what Mr. Dysto presented and we're going to have the questions from the council right now. Then we can open it to the public. Okay, let me just say that again. So, I think the only two people that would lose the uses are Mr. Goff and his butter that's right next to him

if he has the right to that even though he has frontage on his property. And Mr. golf is the one that's asking for the abandonment. If if the abandonment were had, whatever access he has through uh Sixth Street, and I don't know whether uh how developed it is, he would lose that. Okay. Um Mr. Stanley, my question is rather than abandon, could we sell it? Could we put it out for bid? It's got some value. We put five 10 grand in our uh general fund. It's five or 10 grand that we could certainly use. Not through the abandonment process. But I mean, but so but there is a way where we could actually we could sell that piece of land if we're not using it. Correct. Correct.

Yeah. Mr. Charlie, do you have a question? So, should we just reject this right out since the person that is requesting the abandonment has no right under the statute to the abandoned property at all? From a legal standing? Um, no. Because not an abandonment petition is not confined to those who would obtain title to the land. I see. Okay. Thank you, Miss Crona. Do you have any questions at this point?

I'm a little confused by it all, but I'm gonna wait till everybody else till the public speaks because I'm curious what this woman has. No, we're gonna we're gonna allow her to speak right now. Okay. Yeah. I just I want to understand all of the different parties involved. I've read read the letters looking at this. No, you're good. Go wherever you want. Stand up. Sit down. Mr. President, just before that, just very quickly after we hear from this young lady, could we then hear from the police chief, fire chief, and building, not DVDW? Uh, I'm going to wait for them to be at the end and when we come back around to council questioning. Hi, could you introduce yourself, please? Yes, I'm Christina White O'Brien. I actually have property.

One second, please. Believe it or not, it's incredibly distracting. Even though you guys think you're whispering, I don't know why we can hear it like loud louder than you can imagine. My name is Christina White O'Brien. We actually have bought the property, too, but we just weren't listed. So, which one are you? We are at uh the one right next to Goff. So, in 45, which she's 45? So, it looks like the house is an L. Yeah, we've actually maintained the paper road for 28 years. And before that, his grandparents maintained that property since 1976. Robert O'Brien.

Thank you. Um, so we've maintained it for decades. Um, it's always well-kept. There's never trash. Um, we have a neighbor that calls on absolutely everything. Um, we parked an RV there for 3 months because we have handicap children, so we have feeds like uh he's on a G ttube, so we have boxes of feeds that go in there. We have wheelchairs that go in there and the it's very hard to get from the bottom of our street. We went through the process of asking if we could park there. It took three months for the answer. Hence the reason why it was there parked there for three months until we got the answer that we could not park there. So then we went and cuz we were just parking it there for the summer, you know, for the use of the RV. It goes somewhere else. So as far as the rideway, we get our mulch delivered back there. We get, you know, before they moved in, we got, you know, gravel, whatever we get gets delivered back there. If we have tree service, it has to access our property from back there. We would have now get permission from Mr. Goff to get to the back of our house because they would have to cross over, you know, the corner of his yard. Um, but we barely use that property, but we maintain that property and have maintained it for almost three decades. We so for 30 years we parked an RV for three months. 30 years of maintaining property. She the one that always calls her daughter parks there every Sunday. They the day she called on Mr. Goff because he parked his wife's car literally almost on their property. She called and in that morning both of her cars were parked at the top of that property. So when I don't know who came to see us, but it was like a town

planner or something. Anyway, whoever told us about that, he said there was trash all around the RV. So he went and took pictures. There was no trash, not even one piece of trash anywhere on this property because we maintained the property.

So a lot of lies and a lot of misinformation. We're going to call misinformation, whatever. But it's never never been one piece of trash back there. Our kids play in that little yard. They ride their bikes up and down from Lincoln. You know, it's a rideway. That's what we use it for. Um, but it just becomes more and more that this particular person calls all the time. So, I told the town planner, I said, or whoever, I don't I apologize. Whoever he was, um, is by her. No, I don't know. I I don't No, I don't.

Well, whatever. He He went He goes around. He talks about, you know, you shouldn't park here or you should park here. This is my job. I I think it was his name's Tony. Is that him? Where? Yes, that's him. What's your name? Tony. Yeah. So, yeah. Yeah. So, so he comes and I I I tell him I'm like, "Do you see any trash?" So, he walks around, he takes pictures of the RV was there, right? That's the building official. Oh, building official. Sorry. Okay. Close. Right. It was something to do with the town. So, [laughter]

um, so anyway, he went around, took pictures or whatever, and I'm like, there's never been trash in the back in the paper road. Why would we maintain it and just trash it? There's never been any dumping. Now, we have four signs, two right in the middle of the rideway. They put them directly in the middle. So, there is no car that can drive through or any kind of deliveries that can be done to the golfs. Like, if if he's had a problem with his roof or a roofing truck has to go in there. Nothing can access it because they put the do not dump signs right in the middle of the drive. That was our DPW.

Yeah. Well, anyway, it doesn't matter. It's not a rightway. It doesn't It's not a right. Letting you know who did it. Okay. All right. Um I take this very seriously. I don't know if you realize that.

Okay. Well, I do too because that's why I'm here. Okay. Um, I don't know. It just seems like the more the people call, the more the one person calls, the more that she owns the property because she says, "Jump." And everyone else says, "How high do you want to do that?" Because there was snowstorm. Someone parked their car there. Parking van, right? She called the police. We had the police come truck through our backyard, knock on our back door in the middle of the night. and say, "Is that your car?" It was not our car. We didn't Why would we park back there? She knew exactly whose car it was. And she, all of my children are, you know, literally adopted from trauma. So, they were freaking out because what police officer would be shining a light, knocking on the back door of a house at whatever time that was, but it was like 10, 11, 12, whatever it was. It's just it's got ridiculous to the point where she doesn't call on herself, but anytime we touch that property, she calls on us. And now she makes up these things that people are dumping on it. No one has dumped one piece of trash on that property. So now we're where we are today.

Okay. Thank you. Thanks. I've ever done I've been I know he's Brian from uh 40 past.

Uh I've been mowing it and keeping it up. Basically uh half of the paper road is um taken care of. The other half is just woodline. Um, I've been mowing it and cutting the uh the briers and stuff so that if I do have to get deliveries or anything has to come in the backyard that that's available. Now, the only dumping I've ever done was after I get done mowing the paper road, I take the grass clippings and throw them into the woods. It's basically I'm not dumping there because it's coming from there. I mean, I'm not dumping any any excess. I'm not bringing stuff in to dump it. So, I don't know where she's getting this dumping, but there's four properties that have bought this and the only one there's only one of them that have a problem with it with anything to do with this paper road. We've we've talked to her, we've talked to other people. Uh we're not abusing it like we said. Uh so, I don't understand the whole problem. We did come here. um back in n I don't know it was a while ago in the 90s at some at some point um one of the properties that bought it a contractor was trying to sell the house as a two family and they were trying to get the same thing done

trying they were trying to split it so that they could sell it. Um I came and petitioned against that because of the rightway and I was granted the right away. Um, so I don't understand why all of a sudden that's going to change because we do use it. Thank you. Okay. Questions. All right. Mr. Cronin, just a clarification. When I spoke with Brian Williams at public works department, Mr. Wheeler right there,

Mr. Wheeler. Um I asked him who where the um requisition come from to spend the town money to put the four signs up. And he said it came from the police department. But I haven't gotten an answer from the police department as to whether they pulled it apart. Makes sense. Yeah. Well, if there's accusation of dumping on a town property, we then put up signs because it's in the code for the town that you can't dump on town property. Except there hasn't been any dumping in the four years that we've lived there,

right? Um I think we're going to have Miss Cronin ask some questions though. Okay. And look for some answers. Okay. So, let me get this straight. Mr. took office here tonight asking for the sixth street or for the paper road to be abandoned. If we agree if we approved abandonment of that that property um it would be split down the in half and half would go to whoever owns 129 and the other half would go to 119. Correct. And that's what you want. No.

Okay. It didn't that you because that's not that's not what you were saying. You you thought that if it were abandoned then you could buy it. No, I thought I didn't realize that this town ordinance said it gets split by the okay people on each side because this is a very unusual situation where there's a third or fourth of them. Okay. So, and then it gets complicated as to how do I split it whereas you mentioned selling it. I'd be willing to listen to that. Okay. Option. So, you no longer want an abandoned because now you know what the consequences would be, correct? If we didn't split in half, that's not what I want.

Okay. So, you don't want that anymore. So, you will be removing that request. I'm willing to pay for a class one survey to clarify where the boundaries of it really are legally. Okay. Okay. That's not what Don't you have it? What's that? You have a class one. I have a class one, but it's only for our lot. Okay, I got references. No, we understand what you mean. So, you would pay for a survey for the that other law. If I were if it were sale, I would want a class one survey to say, what is it that I'm buying? I got you. All right.

Go ahead. and the O'Briens, you'd like it to just stay as it is, get rid of the signs and go back to life as it were, preferably with the neighbor with everybody being able to do it as a rideway. Okay, please wait. I know you're just because she's conversational. Do you have anything else you would like to say? Please come to the microphone. Yeah, I I just want to clarify what everybody really wants and because apparently you're the only not you yet neighbors involved here soon. Okay, so everybody everybody stop listen to me.

Everyone here is going to have an opportunity to speak right now. Miss Cronin is directly answering her question. Speak through the chair, not to each other. So go ahead. If if it is left as it is, we don't abandon it, right? It would be the ideal scenario that it is maintained as you have been doing it. So those abutters can access their homes, their do whatever they need to be doing like um I don't mean to interrupt you. Go on. Sorry.

Go ahead. No, like if like if we want to pull our RV in there and put all our kids feeds in there and put our wheelchairs in there and put our children in there. I mean, we can't do that. She'll call the police. I mean, literally within the second of pulling in. Anytime we access that road, public access, she calls. Okay?

You know, and that's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for public access without police phone calls. Okay? And um if in fact that is all that you're doing and all that Mr. Goff has been doing that is not illegal. Correct Mr. Disto what they are their use of it to this point has not been illegal. It might just be annoying somebody but their RV is parked there so they can load and unload their I mean we haven't done that before. We just parked and waited for Tony to come back with an answer of if we'd be keep Is it Matt? It's Matt. Babe, we're making All right.

Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. Okay. I think I have the question for me. [laughter] I have the question. From what you've heard this evening, has any of what you've heard from the people who've said it been in an illegal use of this property? Frankly, um what's happening is is you, by the way, you can't adversely possess, uh against property of this nature. Okay? Right?

But the plain fact of the matter is is from what I've heard is is this property gets used as if it were owned by these private properties when in fact it's town property. Is that illegal? That's a strong term. Is it proper? Not really. Okay. Now I hear a couple of things. Uh, can it be used for ingress and egress? Yeah. Can it be used for storage? No. No. No. Okay. Can it be used for parking? Okay. Close. Here. Here's the situation. You know, I had a chance to take a look. I actually remember this. I was solicitor at the time. Uh, there was a public hearing on this before.

It was and and this was denied. it was by the town council. It was took two hearings, it took two council meetings to get to that point on it and you know time has marched on on this. So you've got a difficult situation because you have abing property owners to either side but you also have two owners at the uh end of the dead end that apparently have use for this and that was what carried the day back in 2000 on this. So thank you for that.

Thank you. Now, if anyone's against this, you're going to have your opportunity to talk, but not now. Right now, we're going to wrap up the people who are requesting this abandonment. So, if you're in favor of this, please come forward. All right. So, no one is in favor of the So, everybody who's against the abandonment, fire and police chief on you want to do them after these people. Yeah, because that's going to be the fin that's going to we're going to be deciding. So, everyone who's against this abandonment, please come forward.

We're going to stay. No, no, no. One at a time. One at a time. Come down to the microphone. Get your name and address. Good evening. Good evening.

Uh we're Nancy and David Dutra. We're the ones that have the lot that abuts 13D 129. Um we were here 25 years ago for the same situation. Apparently this is the most popular paper street in towns. Um, so, uh, what he's requesting is we went over to the water department and Colin told us that he wanted to connect his water because he has a well to homestead. Who's Colin? Colin from the Bristol County Water Department. He's the engineering project manager.

Okay. Okay. and he told us that he could not connect the water supply via the paper street to Homestead A. He would have to pay out of pocket for the town to run a connection 200 ft in from Patterson to his house at a cost of $350 a foot out of his pocket. Okay. So, that eliminates that. That was the main reason why he wants the lot abandoned. Um, wait a minute. I'm confused. abuse too. Who's Colin? Colin Colin was the And he lives there. No, no, no, no. We talked to him at the water department. He's the project man.

Why does he have to pay? No, no, no. Mr. G would have to pay. I don't think Mr. G brought that up. It was line one of the petition. I understand. Yeah. That he may I'm allowing them to give the opportunity to speak in a in a in a manner that I can understand. Okay. So, it was line one. You speak for yourself. He wanted to have water connected to his property. No, no. I mean, you speak for yourself. Mr. Bob speaks for himself.

Okay. So, anyway, um I talked to my other neighbor who's the other on the fifth street. She's lot 13D119 and she also agrees that she does not want the paper street abandoned. So we both agree on that. Her name is Triby Foster and her husband. And uh so anyway, Sixth Street had becoming a dumping ground for the O'Brians for 40 Patterson A and a driveway for their RV. The the RV was actually parked there for nine months straight. It did not move. Mr. O'Brien told me they would only have it there for a few weeks before they would take it out and go on vacation. And we agreed say no, you know, it's no problem. It stayed there for nine months. So this is our backyard. This is what we see. This is our quality of life. They don't see it because they're on Patterson. We're on Lincoln and our whole lot abuts that paper road. So, um, as far as

the dumping, I have pictures if anybody would like to see them. Yeah, there can we limit the back and forth, please? I understand this is very contentious, but I got it. Derek, okay, so that is what he referred to as the debris that came from the law. Right. That's debris that came from the law. That's coming from his yard. Okay. It looks like leaves and sticks. Yep. I can't tell whether it came from Right. I know. But it's not trash. No, you never said it's trash.

I'm not saying anyone said it's trash. I'm saying I see leaves and sticks and it could be from that property. It could not be. I understand. This is also Mr. O'Brien. Okay. But they they've admitted to what you're showing me the pictures of. But I just wanted to show pictures. I know, but I I heard them say that they dumped the leaves and sticks there. And as far as these people All right. You'll have me. Everybody will have their You want to say so? No.

Okay. So anyway, as um we'd like to do as in the first hearing in the year 2000, I would like to quote what a lawyer's letter over the same situation with the town council's decision was then. Quote, "The town council is not inclined to take anything away from anyone. To abandon would take away something. To let it stand causes no harm." End quote. Like I said, this is a quality of life issue for us. This is our backyard. This is what we walk into every day. We maintain both and we maintain for 35 years with if I can just remember it's not your backyard. It may abut your backyard. It's not your backyard. But this is what we think. I understand that. But I'm just I want to make language changes here.

Yep. Because you may feel it is. It abuts your backyard. Correct. And I know that [clears throat] may sound uh like I'm being picky, but it's legal. So, all right. That's all we have to say. Okay, Mr. Foster, I think you were next. That's about it. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thank you,

Deon. What happened? I'm okay. I start by saying hello to my neighbors. Not here to cause any trouble with any of them, but I disagree with it. Can you Yeah, I disagree with I'd like for it to stay the same way it has been. I disagree with the position. Say introduce yourself for the record, please. Kevin Foster. I own lot 19. Thank you. And now you can And I've also in the future, which I've checked with the zoning board.

I would consider doing a um ADU that area the back side of my lot, which then at that time I might need access, which is granted to all of us if it stays the same way. So that's pretty much my only problem with it. I have no complaints with any of the neighbors. So you all know other than that Joe just should stay away. I don't think it's right that the town could come sell that lot between us like that when you know we all been there quite a few times. Can it was just a question to the solicitor. That was my

I feel the same way that leave it the way it's been. Everybody's been participating in cleaning it up. We all cut through there. We all whatever. I agree. The signs he can't get his little train through, which is cute. Um the neighbor that I like it the way it's been. Thank you. Everybody's happy that way. Glad you're doing well, my friend. I didn't know you were broken up. Yeah, I've been a little bit slow. Mr. Rego, just a quick question. At this point, there is they don't want it abandoned. Mr. G doesn't have the right to the abandonment. Why do we What do we Why am I keeping the hearing?

Because uh 20 years ago, 23 years ago, this uh reared its head and I'm hoping that maybe the people's opinions can come out in public and uh clear the air and maybe have a better sense of where everybody sits. So 25 years ago, I was here and it was a different situation. It had to do with uh there was a two family house and they wanted extra land. Tony, where has time gone? 25 years, but but it was a totally different than we have today. Is there anyone else who would like to speak on this? Come on down.

Hi. Hello. Good evening, Mr. President, council members. Thank you for having us this evening. My name is Denil Emmens. This is Jordan. Jordan Emmens. We live on 86th Street. We are the only home on Sixth Street. So that is lot 124 124. So as the only home on Sixth Street leading into this area, we would like this street to remain as is and open to the public. We also do not want it abandoned. Okay.

On a street with limited parking and an extreme hill down to the water. We would like this preserved for safety, for the kiddos that run through those uh uh neighborhoods and for good neighborly friendship with our community. Um we do agree that maybe removing those dumping signs would make it much uh sort of nicer. Uh so those did just go up and all of a sudden all of us are looking at signs that say no dumping and it doesn't feel very neighbor. That's an easy part of Yeah. So, that's our two cents. Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. Anyone else with an opinion on this?

All right. I'd like to hear from the fire chief and the police chief. And your advice, of course. Good evening, uh, Chief Souzer. I have been I was approached by Mr. Goff regarding it. He is correct. We would not use that 63 as a primary uh access for fire or EMS as he mentioned for rescue. We would stick to Patterson. Um but in any case, anytime we have another um option we may need that could be used as an alternative for further water supply. Good evening chief. Good evening. I echo I echo the fire chief's uh request. Same here. Okay.

Thank you. We have smaller vehicles in the fire truck. Mr. Hanley, I want to make a comment and actually get it into the public record, please. That's why I'm future.

Uh, unfortunately, we can't regulate neighborly behavior from behind this rostroom. Uh, but what I think might be a solution when we get out of the public hearing is maybe if we address parking on this particular street, limit it to 15 minutes or a permit. Say somebody's going to get a truck in there to unload some junk. If they get a permit from the police department for 10 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, then they'll be allowed to do it. That way, we won't have anybody calling and complain. If somebody parks there to run in and get groceries, uh obviously you're not going to be able to park a trailer, an RV there because that's a public street and if you pock it there, it blocks the whole street. So maybe we can regulate get rid of some of this problem by imposing parking requirements on that street. 15minute parking uh except by permit from the police department in the event you need to get, you know, if your roof is going to get in there and unload, you can get a permit from the police department for 6 8 10 12 24 hours, whatever the police team deems appropriate.

Let's hold it there. Mr. Dysto, is that option viable? It is. Yes. Okay. future date. Uh I didn't want to stop you completely. I just meant that point. I mean in that way there because I mean they they the the our two chiefs said it's not performing any use but obviously it's performing use for the other two people who actually use it for access not for their main access but for when they need access they have access to their property. So it still does serve a function for some of the people in town you know. And you mean it doesn't serve a purpose for your use at this time? I mean the abandonment. That's correct. We would not use it as a primary approach for correct.

Okay. So you were just referring specifically to Mr. Goff saying that as an abandonment that would be the best access to his property. You disagree. Remember when he said that's how you would get the rest squad to his property. That's what you're disagreeing with. Okay. That's pretty much it, Mr. [clears throat] Trombling.

Yes. Um, it's pretty clear that this is really about a dispute between neighbors, like Mr. Hanley said, and that can be handled in other matters. And I will note that in Mr. Goff's letter, he did mention that when he bought the vacant parcel on 46 Patterson, um, the contractors use Sixth Street as an access point. And then also, I think the O'Brien's mentioned that they, you know, use that street to access the back of there because they do front onto Patterson, but they do use that as a pri I don't know if they use as a primary, but they use it as some sort of access to them. So, if this were to be abandoned, in my opinion, it would based on the law, it would go to the uh the abutters on the side that faces uh not Homestead, excuse me, but Laurel Park, which is where I grew up. I know this area very well. I know how contentious this can be and I know that the neighbors have over the generations put in a lot of work to maintain the friendliness and the you know the uh the spirit of neighborliness in caring for uh this this parcel. I I don't and I think also um Mr. Foster brought up that he if he wants to construct an ADU that uh he would be using in the same way that Mr. Goff used the Sixth Street uh access point. um to bring in contractors and construction. So it does feel seem to me that even though the police and fire might not use this as a uh primary street that it is used by those for aut I don't think that this abandonment should go forward and I don't think at this time that is what any of the neighbors want unless I'm misunderstanding. So I think that we should vote to reject this.

Okay. Just to be clear, these neighbors want it. Those neighbors don't. I thought they changed their mind. Oh, you don't want it? Mr. Goff wants it or Mr. Goff doesn't want it anymore. So, once again, nobody wants

No. Um, okay. So, uh, we've heard everything from the public. We've [clears throat] heard everything from the council. Mr. I I just want to say one thing and and I know where John's coming from, but I would rather us wait on putting signs and putting times and all that. See if the neighbors can get along. Maybe have a picnic and if that doesn't work, come back to us. I hate to put signs in because what's going to happen if you put a 15minute there, you're going to call the police. That guy's been it's never going to end. So, I would say at this point that we we um denied a petitioner and let's wait to see. I you you people all seem nice. I think they're all going to get them. I really do.

Let me uh Mr. Wheeler, hold on, please. Mr. Wheeler, if you could relocate the sign, one sign simply stating the town law that there's no dumping on town. Thank you. Put it off to the side so they can actually get up up and down. Mr. Goff, you had something you wanted to say. I was just going to say, could you ask the public department to remove That's what I just did. Yes, I know that this would be for that. Remove all four signs or just leave the one I just did the woods but turn it around so that it faces the public street. I just did that. He The reason he put them up the way he did is no one in that whole area could say they're not seeing him.

I totally understand. So it was just a everybody take a look, see them, they're here. If it's just one sign, they can just keep I have faith in him. And then you get the public works department gets three signs to re use someplace else. Sure. Yeah. Um All right. This a public hearing and we need a motion to close the public hearing. Motion we close the public hearing. Second. All in favor? I. What's the council's pleasure? Motion to reject the abandonment. Second. All in uh All in favor? I. Thank you everyone. You have to stay for the rest of the meeting.

No, you don't. No, really you don't. Uh, next we have public hearing for renewal of the 2526 202526 alcohol and beverage license. Mr. Disto, I can go by class or do I have to read each name? No, you can go by class. Thank you. Class A, limit three. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. All in favor? I. Class BVL limit seven. Is there a motion to approve? I I would like to make a motion. I have a list from the clerks. There are some that we have to hold back until we get the

make contingent on the paperwork by the end of the month. Correct. But it's only a few. I got them all marked off somewhere. Where the hell did I mark them? Actually, what we can do, Mr. This is though is we can make a motion as we go along contingent on all of the paperwork being sufficiently brought into the clerk's office by the end of the month. Correct.

Correct. If there's an objection as to any license, however, any member of the council can say before the fact is taken to I don't have any say contingent upon all paperwork. So, the motion will be contingent on all paperwork being submitted to the clerk's office by the end of November. And that's the class BBL limit 7. I'll make a motion we approve contingent on satisfying the clerk's requirements for renewal. Second. All in favor? I. Class B limit 32. I'll make a motion we approve the 32 licenses pending the applicant providing the proper documentation to the town clerk.

Second. All in favor? I. Class C limit one. I'll make a motion we approve uh Jack Bar, Inc. Second. All in favor? I. Class D limit five. I will make a motion we approve all five pending uh completed documentation with the town clerk. There's only four. Four of them. All four. Says limit five. Limit five, but we only have four. Okay. All four. Second. All in favor? I. Next we have request uh oh, next we have petitions. Uh P1. We did those. We did that. That's the consent agenda. Thank you.

It's cluttered up. Yeah. jumps to P10. Next, we're going to jump to P10. We got to do the BBL first, don't we? Why does this sound confusing? I'm confused over here. Wait a minute. We're on page five. We've got the petitions of P1 is the uh victualing. They go all the way to Okay. D10 which is on page nine. So that's it. We're done. Well, we got

these. We just did the liquor licenses. Now we've got to do the vigiling license. No, they were they were the those with the uh consent, aren't they? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, okay. All right. Great. I got you. All right. We've made things more streamlined. I thought I thought double still seeing double. Yeah. So, we're good. So, now we have a request for outdoor seating from Club Recreativo, a cultural de War Warren. Sandra Madera, see you here, Sandra. Hi. Uh, what would you like to do other than sit through the whole meeting? The, um, zoning board, we would like to do some outdoor dining and, you know,

Okay. And have you uh spoken to the police chief and fire chief? I've spoken to the fire chief. Any objections? I will inspect my setup in this. So passage contingent on your approval both. Uh so do you know what that means? We're going to pass the license. Okay. And then you're going to work with actually we're going to we're going to pass the license, but it won't be granted until you work with the police chief and fire chief and come into compliance with what they want, right? and what you want and then you come in and pick up your license. Okay. We had talked about putting some planters up and stuff so we can all of that with them and going in front of the zoning board. So, you're on your right on the right way. Uh motion to approve and is there a second?

Uh is that a third contingent on Why does it say a game machine on the application? Uh that's for the class D. All right. So, it's one application for all three license. Okay. Um Mr. President, is that contingent upon uh the approval of the motion? Yes. All right. Second. All in favor? I. There you go. Do I need to stay for number 11? Might as well. Uh now we have a request for New Year's E New Year's Eve extended hours entertainment and alcohol to end at 12:45, close by 2 a.m. Um police chief, fire chief. Okay. Motion to approve. Second. All in favor?

I. Nice. All right, I think that's it for you. Thank you. Take care. Uh, did I see the pod snap here earlier? Stay in the back. Come on up. I should say wake up. Come on up. How are you? There you go. Your arms are killing. walk drove 30 hours in the last five days and played five shows. All right, stick to the agenda. [laughter] You asked. Good to see you.

Uh, you are requesting for a New Year's Eve extended hours entertainment alcohol to end at 12:45. You've done this before. Close by 2:00 a.m. Any objections? Any questions? If the uh Make a motion to approve. Second. All in favor? I go. Thank you. See that? Quickly, you can walk up here. Next, we have request for a yearly entertainment license. Fairy T LLC. This is the Fairy Troom. Sarah Beth uh Warner 69 Marcus Street. Are you here? Hello. So, I'm going to recuse myself. She's in a book of mine. Okay. How are you? So, you're back. We're back.

And you're asking for an entertainment license. Yes. Same as what you said a month ago or two whenever it was here. This is taking you into the next year. Yes. Okay. Any other questions? Just this is all indoor music, correct? Yes. It would be um nominal acoustic events and private events only. You had me from last month? No. Okay. Is there a motion? Motion. Second. Second. All in favor? I. Thank you. Thank you.

Good luck. Next we have a virtualing license. Tracy Woodward Perfect Sweet Shop. Is Tracy here? Hi Tracy. Sorry we have to keep you here all night everybody. Maybe we should Anthony. Would there be a streamline approach to this? I mean to like all of these applicants because it seems like we we got rid of uh you know all of those victualing licenses of alcohol pretty quickly and yet we make people like these last three people sit there all night asking for something that you think that could happen in the future. No. No. Because they're new. All right. No, they're not new. No. That's why I was wondering

and I don't know I am surprised. Oh, it's a new location. Same face, new address. Location. Okay. So, number four at this point. There you go. Glad we figured that out. Uh, wait, how is this new? The Perfect Sweet Shop is So, the Perfect Sweet Shop itself is still going to be the um the kitchen is still going to be at 16 Joy Street. Yeah. And what I'm um trying to do is get um the front of house so the the bakery like the um the storefront. Yeah. At 436 Main Street. Um so that people can see it because no one ever can find it.

I never knew you were back there and I grew up Yeah. I mean that's the thing. I've been there seven years as of yesterday and um and people still say every day I didn't know you were there. Yes. So where's 436 Main Street? What is it? 436 is bevy where Bevy's was. Okay. Not where the pizza place was next door. Um so the No, Bevy's is the corner of child of the other the other corner. So the the uh the it used to be Warren House of Pizza was um on the where the alleyway met. Right. Right. Right. So this is on the opposite the corner that goes Main Street and um Child Child which is next to my Crepe Shop.

Okay. Right. So, my Crave Shop is at 438 and this is at 436. So, they'll actually share a wall, which is another thing we're um proposing on a permit to not right now. Nice. Make a motion to approve. There you go. Second. All in favor? I. So, you're going to have three on Main Street. [laughter] Monopoly. I Well, just just trying to just trying to But they're all different. So, yeah, they're all different. Just trying to God bless you. Thank you. So, all set. You're all set. Next, we have Nathan Koopman. Is Nathan here at Hawaii? I'm

good. So, you are coming in. Uh, we're going to use the previous person so everybody will know you're going where Fedra Hill Pizza was. Yes. Correct. Okay. And you are Spaghetti Lane via Pora. That's correct. Yes. And you're Michael's son. That's correct. Yep. He's my stepfather. Good to see you as well. Any questions of the applicant? This is not um there's going to be two spaghetti places not in town, right? Uh we're this is going to be pizza and then his mom and Mike St. Angelo are going to be over at the old Greeks place. So you're St. Angelo? Not by my my stepfather. Can please let them know because there's some confusion about what the menu is proposed to be.

Well, this menu will be supposed to be pizza and sandwiches. So a little different than Spaghetti Lane that we have. I'm not confused. There'll be a little competition there. There'll be a little competition there. Hope so. Yeah, we'll see. Family competition. Family competition. Take a motion to approve. And it's going to be an approval again contingent because I'm sure you're getting your inspections now. So, those will be contingent on the fire inspection. Yeah. And uh is there a second question? I I should have asked Tracy, when do you anticipate getting open? Probably not till around January. Okay. And Miss Cronin is uh big with Discover Warren. So you can be a part of that if you want and she'll she'll come in and I'll come in and we'll have to eat your pizza. Please do. There's no choice.

Sounds good to me. All right. So there's a motion is a second. All in favor. Good luck. I'll see you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next we have old business discussion and action regarding a request from the Bristol Warren Regional School District to wave building permit fees for the work being performed at the Kiku Middle School and Hule Elementary School under Rhode Island general law 2327.319 continued from October meeting. Oh, hi. I might have missed correspondence, right? Yeah, I did want to pull two, but we can go back to it. Stay there. Uh, so, um, you want to do what? Call what?

Uh, C2 and C3, but we can go back. That's okay. We will. I just wanted to know. Uh, good evening. [clears throat] Good evening. So, we have numbers in our packet. Yes. And we got emailed. Uh, did everybody get the email? Uh, any electronic information that was sent to the cler's office? I think we have a hard copy here now. Well, I just want to make sure either way, uh, thank you. We have the super with us. We do. Thank you for having me. Super. You want to start right off? You can go ahead.

You got it. Uh, thank you for, um, letting us come back and just go through this with a little bit more information. Um, so what we are requesting is the uh, waiver of the Warren permit fees. Uh, we have done a similar process with Bristol. They did approve the waiver of our fees fees on the Bristol side. Uh you'll see on the cost list the warrant permit fees are about $159,000 $1591 and $101. Um so we're hoping to wave that. Otherwise, it will just roll into the bond. It'll be above our cap. So that'll be a full payment. You can see um with the interest, we'd almost be doubling what you'd be paying. So it makes sense, I think, to uh to wave the fee. Just have one question. The state portion of you that you will pay that, right?

The state portion is paid for by our contractor. It's only about $3,000 though. It's not Most of the fees come from the towns, but actually as we spoke, what we would like to do is uh Did you follow up on any of that? Yeah. So, it looks like historically they've never waved any fees. Blank say sorry. What we're talking about is seeing if there was an opportunity to ask the state to wave theirs because the same logic applies. Plus, we're borrowing the money from the state. So, and they're repaying hopefully 80% of it. So, it's an interesting but it's a it is a it's a very small portion. Research shows us that the state never

has traditionally never waved the fee for anyone. I did look up what it would be. It's about 3,000 for the war project. So, fine. You're welcome. Are there any other questions? I'm going to make a motion to approve this. I will second. All in favor? I I Thank you so much. Thank you. I told you you could come a little later in the night, so I saw you come in at 6:30. Well, you said seven, so Well, I said, you know, I guarantee you won't be on by seven. Understand your time frame. I'll just I'm always late. Thank you. Next we have the uh correspondents and we want to pull what one department head reports.

Yeah, the two of them. It's just a general I just wanted to thank all the department heads for doing an amazing job with these reports. I read through them. I know other people read through them and doing a good job with them. And then on the resignation letter, I just wanted to send a letter of thank you to Jenny Lefer and uh letter of appreciation. I'll second that motion. All in favor? I

Okay, moving right along. Next, new business, discussion and action regarding a request for bid proposals uh for the repair, replace or removal of the cement bleaches at Berso Park. Mr. Disto, can you explain why and where this came from? the uh town manager. Uh actually I I the first time I went down for a visit uh I believe it was in August or September uh uh at Burr Hill Park uh for the tree project. Uh took a look at the bleachers. A little concerned about their condition. Uh we contacted the trust and asked them to come down take a look to see uh give us a an assessment of liability and that was a a negative assessment uh for it. And so for liability purposes, my recommendation is is that uh uh the uh bleaches either be repaired or removed, but the concurrent condition is not um not something that is acceptable from a riskmanagement standpoint. Something needs to be done, particularly since so many children uh utilize Burill Park. Be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Mr. Rango. Um so it's funny. I I I went down there the other day, oh probably a couple months ago, and I noticed that that was donated to us by a Mr. Martins, I forget his first name, a 100 years ago. Joseph Martin Trust. Joseph Martin Trust. Yeah. So my question to you, is there anything that that prohibits us from knocking it down or doing whatever we need to do because it was donated to the town 100 years ago? No. Okay. Mr. Wheeler, will you be able to go out to bid? Yes. Um, and we've gotten a few estimates to kind of structure our the to know where we're

so one of the bids is complete. I'm just I'm obviously working on the second one now, which would be the repairing of the um bleachers and then I'll put it out at the same time after review from the solicitor to make sure everything lines up correctly. So, we're looking at around $55 to $60,000 to demolish them, partial removal with uh help possibly from DPW using uh the demolished concrete as fill for the slope. And then we've had a few uh discussion estimates coming in at about 150 to 250,000 for repair replace. And if we uh repair or replace them, we are now going to have to do the safety standards. Is that correct, Mr. Cabraw? So, it's it you're nodding yes. But for the record, it's Thank you. Um Mr. Reagan,

are we going out for a proposal or we're going out for bid? It's however it's worded. I don't know how it was worded, but I've just I put all the paperwork together for a bid process right now. So, um, so this just is there a difference? Yeah, it should be request for proposals. Yeah, that's what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for bids at this point. I want to see more or less what? Yeah. So, we should decide if we're going to take it down or Right. Right. And the second part I know we have and I think this is together because it's part of the town beach. The seaw wall can that be incorporated with this RFP or No. Yeah.

Two separate issues. I believe incorporated. Well, I believe Tara was already there. So, well, I know what I'm saying. Yes, I guess you could. It's the same kind of work. We may get if we put them both together, we may get a better price if he's already there for setup instead of setting up twice. If you think it I guess it could be done, but I I put one demolition potentially. I mean, we're looking at roughly about a $200,000 difference. We we haven't in order to structure in order to understand what we [clears throat] were looking at. We've spoken to a few people and they've come up with some numbers and of course they're not on paper yet, right?

But they're giving us the ballpark uh discussion of getting rid of is going to be a lot cheaper than rebuilding. Mr. Haley, nothing you said is uh incorrect. I would say I agree with the council president that it should be a standalone item though just because we want to have an accurate assessment of how much this is going to cost whereas when you bundle things then it becomes a question of okay what's what does this part make up of that bid versus what the other part makes up. So I I think that Matt rationale makes sense. Although I do see the wisdom in combining them. I I think that for uh purposes of financial accountability that uh we should go with the council president suggest.

If you're going off of proposals, you can do it that way. And then for bid, then you put them together if you want. Itemize. Yeah. Itemize. Somebody make a motion. Stanley. Uh okay. I will make a motion that we uh I guess it's going to be the DPW director that's going to go out for RFPs in coordination probably in coordination with the solicitor and the town manager that we they go off RFPs for replace, repair or remove the cement bleachers at Bris Hill Park. Second. All in favor? I. Thank you. Next we have new business two discussion and action regarding the following budget process. Mr. Rego.

So, is it possible that we can move this when when we talk the about the finance director, can we move it to the finance director's spot? That way, we'll incorporate everything together. Is that possible? You want to move all of them? All too. It's only three things. Yeah. Sure. Watch what else we can do. Bring up the town manager now. Town manager, come on up.

So, I made that in the form of a motion. I'll second. Well, we don't have to. I mean, we're just going to lower the agenda. Oh, no. We have I don't think it Okay. If we have to, we have to. There's a motion to uh move Mr. Sulliv, the town manager up on the agenda. Is there actually the motion is to move Mr. Rego's request down with the final with the town finance director. I was just taking care of what was in between. So, well, I think the town solicitor is in between, too. Please make the motion. I'll make a motion. We move Mr. Rego's NB2 to the uh follow the uh proceed the finance direct FY2526 revenues and expenditures. Second. All in favor?

Thank you. Um Mr. Manager, you're up. [laughter] Thank you. Discussion and action regarding the town council directives to the town manager. Um thanks Mr. President. Um, this is uh a request from uh Councilman uh Rigo uh concerning uh directives that were given to me uh since uh December to uh address uh and uh I I put together some responses for the Mr. Rigo and the council.

So Brian, if it's okay, uh number one, it's been completed, so we can call that completed. Number two has been completed, so I'm satisfied with that. Uh the third one u uh about the Army Corps of Engineer I know waiting for that. I'm good with that. Uh on the lamp post um the repair of the lamp post which was a directive that was done a year ago today. Well on the 14th what's the status on that?

Uh so we I've reached out to uh Mr. O'Brien, who is the individual who has installed those as when they were installed in the town. Uh he has agreed to have a meeting with uh myself to the public works director and come up with a plan on how to address the um lamp posts, what would be the best course of action to addressing those lamps. And how soon do you think we can have a meeting? Um we reached out to him.

Yeah. One of the issues that is that uh I understand that it was a father and son business many years ago and I believe the father passed away. Um the son does it uh part-time. He doesn't do a full-time. He has a full-time job with electric boat from what I understand. So Okay. So the next one is on the um the weed issue. Uh I went on vacation. When I came back, it downtown looked great, but I'm still concerned about Child Street and uh and Market Street and Medic Avenue. Do we have a game plan or

Well, we we have discussed the the overtime issue that would cost about uh if we did this every 3 weeks. Is that is that the uh directive that you Well, if if you need to do it on overtime, that's fine, but getting it done Um, are we talking about uh the state roads? Yeah. Yeah. So, we're going to maintain the state roads. We're arguing that the state maintain the sidewalks on the state roads. We've had this discussion. I know. I'm just

We've had this discussion and and we've always maintained those roads and they've never been in the condition they are now. When I drive down Child Street, all I can think of is all those years and all the effort we made to get those roads um redone and now the weeds are breaking up the cement. And it doesn't take much to have that done. It makes all the difference in the world. And I thought a couple of months ago, we agreed that that's the direction we were going to go, that we were going to take care of the weeding. I thought you were petitioning the state for them to do it. No, we've already went down that hole and it's not going to get done. Well, I guess they're working.

I mean, we did we did Main Street. That's a state road. Why wouldn't we do Child Street? It's and it's not like it's a big a big item in one day. In four hours, they could do child street just like they did Main Street. It doesn't take much effort for them to do it. It's just got to get done.

Mr. Mr. Wheeler, please. It takes three or four days to do the entire town goes on. So that now neglects us from doing any of the town ropes. There's the cost that is associated with the overtime. There's also the costs associated with the chemicals that we use to do this. So there's a lot of time money that's all being spent on this. It's not as easy as just get out there and do it because it's pish pushing other work that's supposed to be done on town roads. So, if we're doing state problems, we're not fixing town problems.

You know what? I'm not going to accept I'm not going to accept that. We did a wonderful job. We've always done it all these years, and all of a sudden, we stopped doing them. And these these sidewalks, they're all going to break up. And you know what? We're going to get stuck having to fix them again. It doesn't take much effort. It doesn't take as much money as you're talking about. You've been doing with overtime. You You can continue to do it. It can be a third of our overtime cost. All right. Why don't you issue for the year? We had given a directive to have it done. It needs to be done. Okay. Why don't we take a look at what you can do and we'll see what you can do and we'll see if that uh can go into effect. We're kind of changing the the seasons right now. Yes.

So maybe it would be best if we could look at a spring plan and not ignore what Mr. Rego's bringing up now, but kind of look at a fall detail. Yes. you know season we've fallen behind and I'll take the blame for not having a plan in place. I understood it was for the directive was to come up with a a cost analysis of how much it would cost referring to fall as in the season. Mr. Sullivan, I believe he's referring to the fact that there's no vegetation in the winter. Oh yes, I know that. Yeah. No, I know that. But there is still vegetation there. But thank you. It can be cleaned up.

It needs to be done. I mean, it's not right that we're doing we're doing gentlemen, please. He hears us. Let's not badger him. I'm not badgering him. Well, you got I'm asking for something to be done that I've been asking for a couple of months to be done and I I don't feel that's badgering. We're giving a directive. Right. So, and we've heard all the excuses already, Joe. But Mr. Aos to continue on it right now. We can't do it tonight. We're not going to actually do it. So, we're going to ask him, right? You're asking him for a plan. No, no, no, no, no. We gave this directive in July to take care of these things. Okay. What do you What do you What do you want to get out of tonight's meeting?

I want to make sure that these things are done. We need to address our street. We need to address Medic Avenue. And we need to address Market Street. I mean, we addressed the downtown area. So, what I was So, what I was saying is it's fall. So, why don't we look at the fall part of the cleanup, weeds aren't growing right now. They're still there, though, Joe. It looks ugly. They're breaking up the side. I understand. I'm trying to move this in a positive. And I am, too. And I'm here to get things done. Okay. So, you know what? And I'll ask there's no reason why I should have took this long. They did the other roads using overtime. Let them work four hours at night or whenever they can or do it during the day, but it needs to get done. I don't want to see them anymore.

Tell them what you're what you're I think you know what I expect. I I expect these weeks to get cleaned. Now, if you can't do it during during the day, then do it with overtime. You were doing four hours uh once a week, and I saw I saw great improvement in the town downtown. Got a lot of compliments. But why can't we continue to do it? Where are we going to get the money from? Right. Right now, Mr. They're setting up the holiday lights. They're they're they're doing their job as best they can. We can have them work on the weeds in a in a in a format that they could plug in.

So, they have had a format. They've been they've been doing once a week. They were doing it. They did the downtown. They did Main Street. Now, why can't they continue that once more? What do you want to happen right now tonight? Other than saying to them, please do the weeds. I'm I'm exactly that. I You know that, right? All right. Move on to the next thing then. All right. So, we're going to do the weeds. We're going to take care of the weeds. Where are we going to pay for it? Overtime budget. Look at the budget. There's money in the overtime. We also we also put in part-time health money. So, the money's there. also haven't even started. Gentlemen, the money's there. Side note,

Mr. Rego has his points he wants to bring up this evening from issues he's brought up. We're allowed. So, discussion and acting manager to put in place an employee annual performance review. What's the status on that, Brian? So, Pauline and I have been looking at uh other organizations, other communities that have uh performance evaluations. Um we're still evaluating them as far as will that work here in Warren because we want to make sure that when we do it, we do it right, it's done correctly. Um because if it uh is not done correctly, it can be have some adverse effect.

Actually, one question, Mr. Rego, did the council vote on having a employee evaluation put into place? Yeah, we did on 812. We did. The council voted on an employee evaluation. Yeah. Or the development. Yes. I think we I think we I don't know if we I think we we voted on having him look into it, right? We've never seen one. Yeah. Or implemented one. So, Brian, doesn't the police department in Warren have a uh an annual performance review? They do. So, is there a reason why we can't that something that

Well, that would be apples and oranges. You take the public works department and and the the police department has certain standards and that they have to abide by that's part of their evaluation. Um, I don't think that would work with public works department or tax assessor's office or uh finance office or other clerks. Public works. Other clerks other clerks. I'm sorry. Again, I I don't think it's or the building official. I don't think it's that difficult of a thing to do, but uh All right. So, it's work in progress, right? Yes. And then as far as the time management machine,

yes. So, uh, we've spoken to Paychecks. Uh, paychecks has informed us that, um, it would be an additional probably about $2,800 a year, uh, fee for us to implement a, um, uh, paperless time system. Uh, plus there's a a one-time uh, programming and training fee of about $2,000 to get that done. So, at what point are we on that? Is that something you're going to come back to council and talk about or Well, we have to find the money first to be able to do that. Um, wouldn't that be a good uh budget?

It could be a good budget. Add that to our budget and and uh and start it in in July at at the beginning of the fiscal year um to give us some time to uh get everybody up to speed on on how that works. Okay. You know, can we send this to the budget committee so that uh they can discuss it and maybe find out where we could get the resources for those funds sooner than that? Is that okay? Sure.

Okay. Good. The next one uh we're going to discuss tonight. It wasn't really uh um directed to you, but we're going to discuss it tonight. And that's the uh budget process. Number nine, discussion action following the list of uh right out of department of transportation. That's town of Warren properties for the state road maintenance, heat upkeep, safety improvements. And this was uh we talked about this before, Brian, and that was the crossro cross wall at cross crossroad restaurant and market street pub. And you had mentioned that they had approved that or was

that has been approved by the state traffic commission. Um, I don't know what the schedule is for when that will be implemented, but it has been approved. That and if you recall, that was also the removal of the crosswalk at uh Jial's Park right there in there at JJ's right on the corner. Um, repair and paint the the traffic light on Main Street. Did you I'm sorry. Repairing and painting the the traffic light on Main Street. That was and I Yes, that was referred to uh the maintenance uh division of Rhode Island DOT by the state traffic commission uh when I sent them a letter Jack back in July to clean state sidewalks.

I remember after a car accident that broke that the believe it or not the the base the company doesn't exist anymore that made the

okay that doesn't mean that the whole thing can't be painted. It's all rusty. Looks like powerful. Uh the next one, 10, that's a duplicate. Uh letter from the state of traffic commission regarding town's request to stop sign on Vernon Street. That one um um you had responded $4 to $10,000. Is there is there any uh special revenue funds from the police department that could be utilized for one of those signs? that the state the state objected to the stop sign. No, it just said it just said that it would cost between $4 to $10,000.

State that did not warrant. Okay, I'm sorry. Complete.

Oh, discussion. Oh, this next one is um this was uh Derek, discussion and action requesting the Brisl War Regional District. Uh, but I think you you've worked on that discussion and action regarding replacing repair of the sidewalks on Medic Avenue, Kikimute Road, Marcus Street, which are not ADA compliant. And this one from a from Ji Pasqual. Wonder who that is. Oh, that's when we talked about the repair. I said, I wonder who that is, meaning Yeah. Yeah, I know who it came from. So, Um, I think you called and what was their answer?

I I've sent the letter to the director of the Department of Transportation and a letter was also sent to all of our our representatives and senators. Uh, I've also reached out to David Walsh who is the uh, I guess you would say liaison for the communities and he uh, told me that he would look into this. I will follow up. Yeah, if you could follow up and try to schedule a date that would be great. Thank you, Brian. And um I thank you for doing this. And you know, takes a lot of time and effort to put these things on the agenda, and when you don't see them going anywhere, sometimes it's frustrating. Um so I I appreciate you doing this. All right, Mr. Thank you.

Now we're on number two.

Sorry, Mr. President dramatic pause. It's good. Everybody's uh next. Yeah. Uh this is uh grants that we received from Rhode Island Housing. If you recall back in July, we uh applied for three uh grants being funded directly completely by Rhode Island Housing. Um and they will do three different projects. Uh, one project is to um evaluate whether Mary V. Quirk is suitable for uh Am I on on the right correct?

Yeah. Okay. I I wasn't sure. Um whether Mary V. Quirk could be uh feasible for um housing. Affordable housing.

Affordable housing. Yes. Thank you. Um and so this this project will be done all by uh uh Weston and Samson. They'll take care of everything. They'll be obviously giving reports to the town on this. Um, but they and they will look at, you know, not only the the structure and the what's what's in there as far as hazardous and things like that, but also look at uh what and where we could uh locate or relocate parks and recreation and also the um Head Start program. So, it's not like they're just going to be left out.

Yeah, correct. Nice. I don't ever, but talking or even thinking about giving getting rid of Mary V work school. That's why that's why my mouth was hanging open when we feasibility for affordable housing. I don't ever remember even thinking about getting rid of Mary Beach work school. The states sending out a grant. Can I just ask um for the u project schedule uh the timeline goes from August of 25 through um December of 2026. So this work already commenced. Oh.

Uh well the the um the project timeline August was when the pro the uh the requests or the proposals had to be submitted and we were just notified that we received these three grants. So and that the purpose for tonight is to get approval by the council and and have them signed by the council to go forward. Brian, there's no cost to the town for this. Correct. There is no cost to the town. This is being all being paid for by Rhode Island Housing and they will pay uh work directly with U Weston and Samson. So, um we don't even have to uh be the middle person. We'll just get the results. Okay. Next, we need a motion to approve him to sign for you to sign it, I believe, is what it's looking.

Well, I was thinking all three and then Okay, we have people that want to speak. Oh, sorry. I didn't see a hand. [clears throat]

I just um my name is Donna Raza and I'm speaking as a citizen, not as an employee of EPCAP. I do work for EPCAP. I saw this on the agenda and um I work in that office. I serve I've been there with this program for 32 years. We serve I was very glad to hear that um they'd look at where to relocate us. It's not as simple as that because there's a lot of stipulations with licensing and relocating to buildings. Um I just want to point out and again this is my me as a passionate person who works with young children. Um I was at a kids count um presentation today that was put on by um different programs, one being Thrive by Five that I co- facilitate. I want to point out how important this program is to the children in our community. We have one of the highest child abuse and neglect rates in the state. Um so the state average is 10.9 per thousand children. The four cities have a 14 I think four um child abuse and neglect rate. Warren has a 15.9 per thousand children. So these programs are meeting a need and I really beg you all and I don't know when this grant was proposed. It's above my pay grade who was contacted. Um but please take into account the fact that these children need these programs. There are many people in our community who started out at Head Start and now are very successful because of the help that families and children get through these programs. And then also, as you

all know, I've been on the rec board, I think 25 years or so now. Um, and the recreation department, that gym is used every single night. Um, Tara has done a lot to um get people into that building. So just um it really is important. I know that they're going to be looking at the feasibility. We need affordable housing. We all know that too. But we need a place for our children and that's the rec department and that's the Head Start program, right? So, what we're trying to do is just get all potential options on the table and uh if the 169th ever comes up on Market Street,

the possibility of having maybe the rescue there with a split use would always be good to look at. Uh so, when this grant came in at no cost to the town, um you know, we figured we'd take advantage of it. must be above my pay grade, too, because there's no way in heck I would have ever approved a study to get rid of Mary V. Park School. That's a great asset that the town has until until something comes up and changes or we get another facility, I would never vote to get rid of Mary Park School as what it's used for now. Right. So, having a feasibility would be a a greatformational data to draw up.

Yeah. So I just wanted to speak up for the children of Warren because that's what I've done for my whole adult career and again speaking as a community member. Thought that was part of the study what would happen right you saw. Yeah. Thank you

Brian. Oh Ryan. Oh sorry. It was your So I have one question. So who who initiated it? Who initiated um asking if Mary v. Quirk was feasible for I don't know. In order to get a grant, you have to seek out the grant. Ask Mr. Sullivan. So Mr. Sullivan, do you know who asked for this grant? Yeah, it was proposed to me from the Red Island Housing and was working with Weston and Samson. We submitted the proposal. I guess I puzzled too. Somebody had to initiate it. No. Rhode Island Housing

by working with Rhode Island Housing put out these grants. Mr. Sullivan, come come to the microphone. Come to the microphone. Rhode Island Housing put out these grant proposals. We submitted uh the proposal, all three proposals. they accepted them and they sent this this to us now for the town council to review and decide whether they want to go forward with this these grants. Did the council approve those proposals when you when not before I submitted them? No. I mean, it's justformational. It's not binding and it's not costing us anything. Correct. But I just for the record, I'm not giving up Mary V work unless so

something really drastically changes. Brian, you just identified it, which to me, I don't see a problem with that either. So, any other question? Go ahead. Everything's good. Would it be appropriate to make a motion at this time, Mr. President? Well, I think two more. We have Yeah. Oh, we're not. Okay. Just two more.

Go ahead. Uh the second one is um what is called a uh uh to it's to but it is uh looking at transportation oriented development uh which includes uh bus routes um our PEZ program lowinccome of the ability for housing and uh to use that information to develop a uh transportation oriented uh development in the air in Warren and Warren has been identified already as an area where we need housing and we have some transportation issues. So um again this program this grant is looking at that feasibility uh with Weston and Samson would be doing a a program to look at the uh proposal and if uh or it was already accepted by the uh housing red island housing and we'll get a report back on uh this program the transportation oriented development.

All right. So why don't we for housekeeping purposes uh is there a motion to accept the uh to go up for the feasibility of the reuse mayor report for affordable housing? Motion second. All in favor? Is there a motion to have the council president sign the transit oriented development study medic? Uh motion second. All in favor? There's no cost for that one or is that No, these are all of these grants are no cost to the town. All right. So, but the 74,000 was for one. I couldn't find a cost for the other one. I mean, you say it's no cost for the town, but somebody's paying it, right? Correct.

And where is the the second one coming from? Second one, the transit oriented development. I believe that is the total. Yeah. 95,000. You got it. that that's coming from Red Island Housing as well. And I went through this and I couldn't find these things. And I'm Next is the uh So there's a motion and a second. All in favor?

Can I just add on the Yes, please. Um just on transit oriented development, the markets and metacom corridor. It's part of our uh comprehensive plan. It's part of the resoning of that area which we already uh induced to study to study the utilities that are in that area. So this is just the natural next step which would allow for reszoning of that area. So it totally makes sense. And next we have the uh municipal technical assistant grant to update zoning and land use and permitting process. And that one is 89,266. I see that. Yeah. I'll make a motion we approve that. Second. All in favor? I.

Okay. Now number three, discussion and action and approval regarding a cloud-based maintenance management system for the wastewater treatment facility. I see Mr. Kama here. Uh if you have anything to add, feel free to come up to the mic. Mr. Sullivan.

Yes, Mr. President. Uh Rhode Island DEM did a uh an evaluation or inspection of the wastewater treatment plant. Um and they identified four diff four different issues that needed to be corrected. Uh one of the issues uh that is most concerning is that the that we have to have a maintenance uh software that tracks maintenance of thing uh important equipment at the facility. DEM comes in and requests uh we pull those records so that they can see uh that we have the ability to go back and look and see when things have been repaired and what was repaired on those things. Uh when they came into the facility, they discovered that the maintenance records were on a uh hard computer, standup computer. That only one person had access to that uh computer. Uh that person was not at the facility at the time because uh she was ill. Um, and we didn't have access or the facility didn't have access to those.

It would bring us into compliance with DEM's regulations. It would. And the cost for this is $5,000. $5,000. Where would we be getting the money from? Mr. uh, Desisto recommends that we pull this out of the uh, our budget instead of the uh, sewer treatment facility because it would be then the sewer treatment facility's property. Wait a minute. I'm confused. Tell them you got you got a you got a private vendor in there operating. Okay. I I prefer it if the town purchased it so that the town owned it. If there were any issues, it would be town property.

Yeah. But if we use sewer funds, still the town property that goes through that budget. The question is is there's going to be an an ownership question. Well, if we pay for it, it's us. It's ours. Yeah. If they want to pay for it, they can have it. Yeah. I I No. In other words, if we pay for it, it's ours and it can't be taken away. The sewer plant pays for it. It's a third party and it can be taken away in in legal argument. Here's the thing. The money's coming from the same place. Right. Right. Yes. If it doesn't come through the budget for the sewer, there's going to be no question that the town has ownership over it. That's my recommendation. If you don't want to do it, that's okay. That's the safer course of action. Wear it on budget. Are we looking to take it from

$5,000 out of the contingency fund? Sure. Out of everything, we'll find $5,000. Mr. President, I would suggest that we uh look at plant operations. Take it out of the plant operations right now pay for this. How would their budget? Yeah, we'll find the $5,000 because if you remember, we Yeah. Do we do we have to have a specific place we're taking the money from right at this moment? Is there a we have to also Yeah. Jim find out he has a question or an answer.

I do app uh from the budget committee's perspective. We do appreciate um you know the $5,000 expense line. I see where the town manager and uh where Mr. Rigo is coming from. I also see where the solicitor is coming from. Um but I do endorse uh Mr. Rigo's approach that come from the sewer enterprise fund as it relates to the solicitor's concern. I see your point. If you have the vendor make the procurement as that corporate entity, then that would become their asset, their intellectual property. Whereas, at least in the federal space, we're effectively talking about government uh provided equipment, government furnished equipment, something that could be purchased through the enterprise fund, which runs with the intent of setting up that fund and where we want the sewer system to run. We effectively buy it and those folks use that tool in the same way that they use the pumps and they use the other things and the trucks that are provided by the town.

Yeah, I got to tell you something. We're talking about $5,000. I said what I said. I've got a a concern here about ownership in this in the second instance. You guys do whatever you want. I I there's not a place that I can say intellectual property. Is that what you're thinking a little bit down the lines of if they're putting the data in, do they own that intellectual property? I I have a concern, but that might be a misplaced concern. Okay. But as the town's attorney, I'm I to me I'm obligated to to make those kind of statements. And remember, but if it's a budgeting issue, if there's a problem on the budgeting, then you go from there. If there's a problem later on, well, we'll have to deal with it then.

Can we move the money from the enterprise across into another town account and then pay for it out of that town account? Well, we're technically getting the money from the enterprise as he's suggesting, but we pay it from a town account and not a wastewater account. I'm just thinking outside the box. That's not a solicitor issue. That's more of a finance director issue. Okay. we can take. But I just have a concern. I have a concern about how it's budgeted. Uh Joe asked me about it and I that's my concern. Take the $5,000.

I got I got to tell you this. This is where I'm coming from. I I don't have any experience with the federal government, but I do have experience with the town of Lincoln. Now, Brian, you might remember we had an issue with with the program for the system. Okay. And there was a claim and and and actually the benzor on that thing held up to town. I had to go to court to get that to get that program. That's what I'm concerned about. I'm I'm basing this on my own experience. Maybe it's I hear you loud. Maybe it is. I hear you loud and clear. We can take it out of the council contingency son fund. Mr. Marshall, do you know how much we have in that? I don't think we have enough.

I don't think we have enough on it. Between now and when this bill needs to be paid, we will find out through Mr. uh Marshall where the 5,000 is going to come from. 5,000. Remember, we've doubled the sewer usage to repay ourselves the 250,000 that we were under last year. So, next year we're going to have $5,000. to buy this now and wonder about where the five is going to come from. You can stay or go. I don't know. You can help me. Um, you need to look at the budget and accurately identify where it's going to come from. But tonight, we can give permission. I don't have I don't have a problem giving permission um

based on getting an answer where it's coming from and then we'll figure out where the funds are coming from. Is that okay, Tony? Oh, contingent on the correct line. Yes. All right. So, I I'll make a motion we approve uh the to who's going to be signing it, the council president or the town manager. Uh just says discussion and act of approval regarding cloud-based maintenance system. I'll make a just make it I'll make a motion we approve the purchasing of cloud-based maintenance system uh financing pending or from the finance contingent from where the finance director says we can get the money next month then we can appropriate correct

okay can can you can you just add to that motion and then we'll refer it to the budget committee to uh figure out what budget going to come from it all right we Okay. Well, we're don't we have our our treasurer look at the budget and tell us what line item we have in town property to buy a $5,000 soft might be contingency. We might have enough in the contingency fun. We'll get the answer. Okay. So, we don't have enough in it. Okay. So, we'll have 4,000 there and uh and we'll get another thousand someplace else. We're giving we're we're granting the permission

to buy it to buy it. Come back with us with a recommendation on the line item that you tell where it's coming from. Right. Yep. Is there a second? All in favor? Thank you. Next we have discussion and action authorization for the town manager to sign a grant agreement with Rhode Island Department of Education for math matters program.

Yeah, Mr. President, this is the fourth round of uh if you recall we participated this before. Uh this is giving mathematical skills and opportunities to students after school. Uh this is going to be run by the um social services department uh which they've already done before. They work with the parks and recck department over the summer and this is the next uh installment of that program. So there's no cost to the town. Uh we will get $20,000 from uh the department of education to run this program. Make a motion to authorize the town manager to sign the grant agreement with the department of ed for math matters. Second. All in favor?

I. Next, we have a big update on the Department of Treasury IRS penalty. Thanks, Mr. President. If you recall, we've had discussion for probably almost a year now about a penalty, a civil penalty that the town of Warren incurred uh 81 uh $8,150 uh for uh a misstep couple years ago. Um, we've appealed to the IRS a couple of times, um, and they have finally agreed with us and, uh, they are going to wave this penalty. So, there's going to be no cost to the town. Good job, Ryan. Thank you. There's our 5,000.

Thank you. [laughter] WE NEVER HAD IT. Could have been. All right. Next, we have finance director. No town solicitor. request a motion for the executive session close session pursuant to Rhode Island general law 42465 A2 litigation update regarding Giovani Chicion Warren Gateway versus town of Warren uh PC 2022 05294. Is there a motion to go in executive session? Make a motion. Second. All in favor? Fine. Got to be roll call. Roll call.

I I I I All right. Okay. Next, we have request a motion for the executive session close session to rig 42465 A2 litigation update regarding Lanny versus RESI PC 2024 05846. Is there a motion? Motion. Is there a second? Second, Mr. Tromley. Hi, Mr. Cronin. I Mr. Hamley. Hi, Mr. Reagan. Hi, myself. I pou Where's my thing? Now what? Now,

ah, we're going to watch finance director. So, who was you again? Yeah. So, and I figured we'd incorporate the two because a lot of that stuff we're going to talk about. So the first thing on my agenda was to talk about the um uh the audit. If Jim Jim just give an update on the audit. Where is the agenda? Yeah, that's getting to serious all in one.

Jim. Okay. Uh great. Uh good evening folks. uh on behalf of the budget committee, Sheila and Mark Fertado, uh at the last meeting, you asked us to look at uh just uh for the record the discussion regarding that 2024 audit for the year ending June 30th, 2024. Worked closely with staff um and um you know that was the snapshot as of 16 months ago and we heard your mandate to look into that. Uh bottom line um after the manager and the finance director and others and we discussed this the bottom line is it's really not a material uh impact on the statement of our account and in fact it might be uh more uh damaging to actually

can that be made bigger or is that this we're not talking about the audit right now. Oh, thank you. Okay. So, no wonder I can't see.

All right. So, bottom line is the consensus is to leave that audit for the period ending June 30th, 2024 as it is. Don't fight to pull it back. Could in fact be uh more deletarious to withdraw it and reissue it. So, that was a thought that came from the folks that work on the bonds discussions that we've had. So, I think we should put that one to bed. What we did learn along the way in close consultation with Micah Brutzy and others are the the root causes of how uh we got to that painful meeting last month and a course of action, a plan of action, milestones for fixing it. That includes um among other things having a plan for addressing the special revenue funds. uh using the 2025 audit as an opportunity to work through some of those items, probably about 80% of the value, and then addressing the rest by the end of calendar year 2026, as well as developing some SOPs with the town manager and the finance director to ensure that there are proper reviews and audit, I'm sorry, proper reviews and clearances on the audit document. coming forward. So basically, put 2024 to bed. Let's fix what we can in 2025 and just keep moving forward. This is part of the narrative of we're moving in the direction. It's a good news story of a normal operating procedure. new leadership at town hall, new finance director, uh new folks involved in the budget committee. We're getting to a

normal course of business. So that's the update on the audit

um from our perspective as you asked us to look at it last month. So, so again, one of the things that needs to happen is and and that's one of the things that Jim said is before it goes to the audit general, it needs to be reviewed and we have to have a policy in place in order for that to happen. Um, the second thing I found uh was that uh we had findings going back to 2017. My concern is we've had several audits uh from 2017 till now. So, what's happened is every year we've been paying $25,000 for an audit, things have been addressed, but nothing has been done about it. So, that should be a lesson learned. As soon as we get an audit and there's an issue, it should be taken care of right away. Very difficult to go back, you know, five, seven years and try to figure these things out, but we will figure them out. And and the third thing I've learned from this experience is that we need to keep uh better records going forward. very important because sometimes it's hard to find these things if you don't have uh proper records and that's about it.

Yeah. Sheila, is there anything that you wanted to add? No, I I agree with what Jim said. Um we did um talk to folks familiar with um the bond ratings to make sure that you know the error if you will that was in the financial and not in the financial statements but in the notes would have no effect to the bond rating which is important to us through the regional school district. So we really do feel that we have covered our basis and do feel that u it's not material. Good. Thank you.

Great. And uh just one other thing that we'd add is for what it's worth on NB2, the data elements that the councilman is proposing uh to be included in the budget process. These are requests that we endorse this this list of items. I think this will help. Well, since you're that, let's just if we could talk about it right now. Um I'm sorry. Sorry, I didn't mean to get in the way of your I just wanted to say we we think this is a good list and uh this is great. We're looking forward to being part of the budget process uh in the coming years. This basically this is something I proposed a couple of months ago. This is page 11, right? Yeah.

Correct. Just look it up there. Well, that's that's a different uh thought.

So, what what I'm proposing and I'm and I would like to have it by ordinance. I know we had this discussion by policy. What happened to Tony? He's still there, right? And I'm proposing to have this by ordinance and and I'll tell you why. I don't plan on being here in a couple years. Well, when my term's over and I'd like to see something fixed so there is a process going forward. Um, we've all been here a long time and that process the Daniel thing. Sometimes it it doesn't happen the way it should. So, having it set in stone to me is is really important. And, uh, what I'm looking for is at budget time that we have two years of past history uh, of what was budgeted and was actually spent, a two-year average. Uh, also a current year to date. A year to date tells you what direction you're going in. And that's the budget. When when he makes that presentation, you'll see what I mean. The the new budget amount should have explanations if there's a 5% variance. At budget time, we should also review all of the town fees and fines. We've talked about it. A year has gone by and really haven't done it, but I think at budget time is the appropriate time to do that. Another thing that we uh should be doing is reviewing reviewing the debt service. Debt service is very important. Um we should be reviewing uh the special revenue funds and that's something I'm going to be proposing that once we get them settled because a lot of them are a bit out of scope and it's something that Gary has to work on. But debt uh special revenue funds we should be looking at every month. We should know where we're at on this. And then uh the last thing is we should have a five-year capital plan. Now one of the things I've recognized with a five-year capital plan I'm concerned about it is our debt services the highest it's ever been and

it has a lot to do with sewer but we still need to look ahead and have that in front of us because if there are things of emergency like the sewer department and I think the budget committee would would agree with me there are couple of things on there that really need to be addressed. So that's what I'm proposing and I'm proposing that we do this in in uh as an order in that policy because I don't want I don't want to lose sight of it. And if there's anybody has anything that they can add to this I'm well I just have a question. So all of this comes in um understanding that the $5 million payout was the biggest hit.

Right. So like with our debt service Yeah. The only thing we have debt service on was the sewer plant because that's all that back when we could afford going out to bond for something we did. And I'm just bringing up matters of fact that you know some of these things are where they're at because we're at the as you noted to the beginning of a creation of uh potential.

So Joe, let me let me just say this. Let me make sense. It it does make sense for the snapshot in time and looking at the institutional knowledge that the members on this of your council have not we may not always have this depth of knowledge on the council about where the money sits and if we're able to have or I'm sorry the expenses we've had in the history uh writing it down having a fiveyear cap. No problem with that. What I'm trying to say is like when you look at the review of debt service, you we don't have any other than our bond that we're paying back the sewer plant. So I have no problem with the process. Yeah. So you're talking process.

So I'm talking process. You don't have to do anything but you need to you know where exactly where you stand and you need to talk about it. So years ago when we had debt service every year we would borrow and every year something would retire. We don't have that luxury anymore because we have that $20 million. that's going to take a while before we get rid of that. So, um, having this in process is very important. Two years ago, two years ago, I remember I was back there, John, you were president and you discussing the the budget. You kept asking question, how much was last year, how much is this? And I even brought up, oh, why don't you have last year's

in all three of you, and I'm not blaming anyone, but you were all here and you've been here for many, many years. In last year's budget, we had $52,000 for revenue of the pilot program from the water company. Okay. The problem is two years prior, we hadn't had it for two years that revenue, but it got in here. So, I'm not blameing anyone, but we need a format that we can see things, we can see trends, and we need to have it in front of us. And again, we're all experienced. who've been doing this for a long time, but the next people that come along maybe a new town manager or treasure is not going any manager is not going. But so these people have something in place. That's what I'm looking for. Right. So ordinarily this would be the in our this is the beginning of our budget.

Right. Well, you want to Yes. So when you're talking again, what I'm trying to get to John, give me a chance because of what we've been through. I think that some of these practices have been kind of not cast off but made irrelevant by the fact that the [clears throat] $51,000 you could call that a typo. There wasn't $51,000 and the pilot program doesn't exist anymore. So technically it was a carryover that probably shouldn't have been there. More of a typo than I'm not disagreeing. No. And Joe, that would have been fine. Tightening up our belt policy wise and what you just said would have been fine. It could have been a typo. or you hadn't done it for two years prior. That's that's do you say

I'm not I'm not necessarily it was a typo. What I what I mean to say for less of better words in the math world there accounting world it was a carryover that shouldn't have even ever made it. So I call it a typo because it shouldn't have made it to we went to three finance directors in like a year and a half. That's part of the problem and they hired a few. [laughter] So, so, so and and that is a part of the problem because sometimes we re rely too many but I think these are I think these to stick to the point I think these are all great initiatives Mr. Now, how do we make put those requirements in the form of a motion for budget sites? Correct. What I'm concerned about is that the discussion starting to go beyond,

right? So, what I'd like to do is in the format of an ordinance, so I know it's going to be there for years to come. Well, those are examples. That's all. Yeah, that that could be done. Yes. All right. I'll make a motion we ask the solicitor to draft Mr. Rego's suggestion the form of an ordinance to be presented at the December town council meeting. That work? Sure. Here you go. Thank you. Thank you everyone. Got a vote on this. Oh yeah. There's a second. All in favor? Thank you. So the third part of my uh thing is really thought it was it? No, no, no, no. So that's why you were looking at the camera. Is there a way making that camera any bigger? Oh yeah. So that is it is a little bigger. So So this is

Can you the bottom parts? The whole top part doesn't matter. So, we used to look at our numbers on a monthly basis. I'm going to let Gary take over from here. This what it was going to be. You want another meeting? No. All right. That's why I put it on tonight's agenda. Well, if you can scroll just scroll down and get rid of all those things up top. There you go. So, unfortunately, this That's all right. Go back to the other thing. It doesn't need to go back. You actually have you should have a copy in your packet though. I'm looking for it. I thought I had it. Is this it? Centerville settlement. No, that's the cash um sheet.

Should be a Staples. Gary, did you want to start with cash balance sheet or do you rather start with the uh um we can do either. Yeah, I think maybe it's found with cash balance. Did you find one? Where on finance radio? It looks like this. I didn't get one of those. Yeah, I don't think I have these. Is it on our on the desks tonight? Should have been in the agenda. And was it in the back the electronic? I didn't I I didn't have it in my agenda.

Wait, you know what? I'll share mine with John. It's okay. We can all see it. Are we on the finance directors? Yeah. This agenda items. Yeah, we're under we're under still under Lou ABC. Yeah, but but now what number? But this is NV2. This is part of the finance. 9:30. Karen, Karen, it would be nice to know where we are in the agenda. It's letting us know. It's NV2. NB2. I've got a pile of stuff on me. And I think this would be B. So So let let me correct something here.

In order to get that on the screen, this was part of uh Gary's presentation. All right. I had put it on my agenda, but but Gary's given a presentation. So, if you go under finance director, if you're looking at your computer and click it, you'll see it. Yeah, that's number one under my that it's under finance. That's what screwed me up. I was still looking on the loose. Yeah. So, now u Gary's taking over Mr. side. So, there you go. And I don't have this. So, this is the one that says Senator Bill. No, no, that's the um I'm going to go over that as well, but that's the um the cash. Um

so this is Am I correct? This is the 252.6 revenues and expenditures. Yes. Okay. Oh, this is not I know, but it's not in the backup. Okay. I don't know about that. All right. So, we had It's not on you. We just didn't get it. No, we don't know. But you get it in front of you in the screen then. Yeah. Far away. Hey, I can read it from here. Your eyes are much younger than mine. Okay, gentlemen. Let's stick to the Go ahead, please.

So, I've been given this a couple months now. Um, so the first sheet is a summary page. So, that summarizes the whole budget. Um, starts with revenue on the top. um key items you want to focus in on is the percentage column which is in the middle of the totals. So right now we're at um we're four months into the year it's a third of the budget. So you should [clears throat] be looking for percentages around 33. If you look at look at the police department they're right on spot on 32%. That's because they're

So why is that south? That's the dog. You're going to find other departments where they're like, take recreation from. So why is this one 82 81%? Explain it. Who's 81? Oh, debt services. Because debt services we pay usually when we set up debt, we pay it first thing in the year, right? So July is usually a big big month for debt service. Plus we paid a million dollars. That's different. Yeah, that was that's another that's 100%. And then Harbor Master, there was there's a 51%. Yeah. See how same thing. Hoba Master would be

Hoba Master probably because the morning fees come in all at once beginning of the year. Well, that's that's his expenses you're looking at. Oh, I don't have one. So, Hob would be the same type of thing. Um, probably during the winter there this stuff's going to go. the And then wreck is at 60%. Which one? Sorry. Recreation.

Recreation. So, so she had busy months. You know, it's going to teeter off in the winter and then come pick back up in the in the spring. So, that's, you know, th some of those departments are a little you're going to look at it and say, "Well, what's happening there?" So the um the thing you you can always look at too is if if you want to see um so with each of these departments there's a backup sheet on there. So um if you want to look um so it starts like the town manager to the police department. Every sheet has a backup then it'll break out all their budget lines. So you might find one items drawing the whole um is bringing down their whole percentage.

President may ask a question. Absolutely. What is the point like what is what are the apartments that are not living up to standard to this point in the fiscal year? What what are the ones that you're that you would be concerned about that we should be concerned about as the council? I look at this I I don't really see any major concerns. So why are we going over this? Well, let me answer the question because I put it on the agenda. What the reason why we're going over it? It seems like I'm the only one that's monitoring these budgets and we and I'm just trying to Huh. Well, you're not the only one that's monitoring.

Okay. Okay. So, let me ask you a question. I wasn't here last month and this was concerning to me and this is why I put it on the agenda. If we could go down to the I have to use Well, I don't have the paperwork in front of me. So, because it wasn't in my packet so I don't know what's being talked about. Show you on the screen here. If we can go to public works. Could you find public works on here please? This is a very simple format. This is a simple format.

If you have the paperwork, well, the thing is I think we get this paperwork every month. Okay. Not like this. If we go to trash collection, what page? 12 or 17. Collection. Say that's right there. Go over. Is that a You see trash collection. I think that's line. Okay. 25% has been spent. You go back. Okay. You can see 30. So line 30. Okay. So you see that 25% has been spent. Correct. Yes.

That's okay. The problem is this. In July, uh the pay the bill wasn't paid. In August, it wasn't paid. September wasn't paid. Why was a vendor not paid on a monthly basis? Is a concern. And it's a concern because when this vendor goes out and and does this proposal again, it could affect what we pay because we're not paying in a timely manner. These things need to be paid on a timely manner is what I'm saying. So if I may, will go ahead. It's clear that there was no payment in July or August or September. There was one payment in October. Does that not suggest to you that is a quarterly payment? Nope. No, it's not a quart.

It's a monthly payment. And again, I'm not trying to blame anybody. All I'm trying to say is we all have to do Brian, I'm not there's a good reason we problem.

For whatever reason, the bills were not getting to us. And when we actually Amy, myself, and you all realized at the same day that they had not paid. So when I went back to the office, I reached out to their uh finance, you know, their bill paying people. They were like, "Oh, yeah. We we've been mailing them, but we get them habitually." I mean, they come into this off, they come into the clerk's office, they put them in a box. I get it. We pay it. We've never missed with them. So, somehow for three months, we didn't get it. They sent me them. We paid them that same day. But, it was one of those that was very concerning to us, too, because I believe you noticed right away, too, that there was no payment coming out, right? You can understand my concern, right?

Oh, absolutely. I mean, that's all heads. Everyone has to look at this on a monthly basis. Are things getting paid? Is there something wrong? The budget is our responsibility. A lot of times we say it's the treasures. It's it's really our responsibility and there's a format that's easy to follow. That's all I'm saying and we should be following that format. Another thing on the revenues, if you look at the top and and Gary, you've done a wonderful job putting this together. If you look at the top, the revenues for the transfer station in July was $1,156. in August is 24,435 and again I know what happens sometimes it's when you send it in but that needs to we need a better accountability on these things and they have to be done monthly on the right way. Do you understand what I'm saying? Why? Why did we uh not pay MAGA for mega for

We just went through that. It was the bills bills the bills got misdirected. [laughter] But we have this all set up so I knew what to ask when I got back on. I hope you listen. I hope you understand my point. My point is that we we all have to review this on a monthly basis and for it to get away three or four months that means that we're not all looking at it. It doesn't take long. It's it's a fivem minute meeting with the trade. can't all be on on the the problem of treasure and when the hits the fan, we're responsible for these things. And that's why we need to keep better eye on this because it's our budget. I missed something while I was out of the room. Uh yeah, of course this is important. Yeah.

Okay. All right. So Gary, go ahead.

It's the budget. So another the reason I put this together like this too. So we never really tie you never really tied your revenues with your expenses pockets going forward with a new when we go into a new system definitely going to do that. Um and the reason why you want to look at that is um take an example is the fire department. So their big revenue is the third party for the rescue runs. If for some reason, let's say their budget, we we end up getting a lot more revenue than their budgeting, their expenses are probably going to go up, too. So, you'd look at it and you'd say, well, you know, they're not they're they're over in their expenses, but you know what? They're over in their revenue, too. So, they there's a correlation there. And that's what you kind of want to look at. Um, so so that's why I included it like this. and and going forward hopefully when we we go with a new system the reports are going to look like this. I'm going to give them this and say this is what we're looking for. Um uh yeah. So, um yeah. So, you know, and and anytime you guys have any questions, don't hesitate. You know, you get this report and you see something that doesn't hesitate to call me and I'll uh you know, I'll I'll run it down for you.

It's great. Okay. So, this is great and I'm glad that you're satisfied or hopefully you're satisfied with this level of documentation and this format

to to look at the numbers and I think it's great that you are on the council and that this is your absolute, you know, this is this is your sweet spot here. It's looking at numbers. This was your profession for years. I rely more on the professionals in the room and like John mentioned earlier, we've been through how many finance directors in the past few years. What I would prefer this is great and I will look at this and whatnot for your monthly presentation to us at these meetings is to say okay here is a one pager where these are the areas where I see concern this is what I think you should do this is how we are addressing this I do not need to be looking line by line p going across Right. That's not my job.

I can do that here. I want a one pager with your assessment of where we are month by month and then month over month. And if Lou wants to dig deeper into it, bless you, child. But that's not what I'm going to do. I'm going to rely on the professional. I'm going to rely on the manager to be on top of the professional. I'm going to rely on the budget committee to be backup for when we're having problems. That's what I'm looking for. That's okay. That's okay. But and again, Carrie, I'm just showing you that there's a simpler format. And if you look at, you know, um it'll prepare us better for budget.

And again, I'm I'm trying to We should all have our eyes on this, Carrie. And and and the format is very simple. And you know that when when we're looking at something that's going to go over uh when you're looking at the percentages here, it's it's something that we can look at and say, "Hey, you know what? They should all have their eyes on it, but we all need to have our eyes on it. You can't just blame one person is what I'm saying. You know, it's a simple format, right, John? Simp. It is a simple format, right?

But Luke, what I'm saying is if I looked at that and I didn't get the chance to because I didn't have it. But if I did get a chance to look at that and I saw three months of no payment and then a fourth month of a payment, I would assume it would be paid quarterly because it doesn't notate anywhere that it's not quarterly or monthly or anything like that. So even though I might have this in front of me, I don't know that it's not supposed to be a quarterly payment. And so I'm just asking again kind of just trying to understand is this going to help make us better come budget time? Yes. And we're going to move on now because we're we're getting off of the of the discussion which is the item versus the specifics. The

other stuff will definitely help towards budget. and and some of his suggestions as well. That's right. Where are we now? We are on I believe finance director two now. Correct. Yeah. Cash balance report. Yep. Yes. Cash balance. Oh. Oh, that's cash balance sheet up there. Cash balance. Cash balance first. We have the Oh, we have paper the first time. Yeah. Well, we have it that we have the paperwork for. We have it. Yeah. Yeah, we have the paperwork for that. No, you can't leave it up there.

Can Can you put it up there? Put it up there. Falling apart. watching program as your programs on an hour.

Everything was going good for a while and then we started drinking. No, it should be should be the first a separate um So, are we done with this? No, we're on the next We We're on page three. We go back. No, no, no, no. We only have this to do. Yeah. No, we're on Gary's. We're down here. No. Okay. So, we are back. We are We're on page 12. We're on page 12. Number. Okay. Thank you. Stop it. Right here. This Centerville Bank. Centerville Settlement.

So, quickly, this is just Oh, take your time. Go ahead. Fine. Um, so th this is what I've been giving you every month is the cash balances. Um, the the top ones are restricted funds. That first one is your settlement $2 million. Um, should be $1 million now because we paid in July. We paid a million dollars. It's in a CD that comes due on the 20th of this month. So, at that point, we'll be taking that million dollars into our budget. Okay. Now, wait. Is that because we got a settlement bond

which was to go back in there and we budgeted $1 million in the budget. Correct. I believe but we put it in a two we put it in a CD. Okay. So, this is not from the settlement bond. This is the money that we actually put in the budget. The bridge. That's the bridge bond. That's the bond that we put $2 million into a CD to earn $40,000 in interest and our payment is going to come out of that $2 million, right? So, in our budget, in your budget, there's two lines. There's line for a million dollars. Okay. And there's a revenue line for a million dollars. Okay. You paid out the expense and then we put it back in with the settlement and then we're going to bring the the uh revenue into into the budget. Okay.

Okay. the reserve funds. I um I got to do some research on these and see what

see what these are um reserved for. I have no idea. Um but I I I'm going to look into that. Um operating funds is just operating cash. So there's um an investment account. What I use the investment account for is when we collect a lot of money at the beginning of the cycle, I put it in investment account. we earn some interest on it. As we pay the schools every month, I draw down a million at a time and pay the schools. Um, and then the municipal checking account is just where we pay everything out of including in that municipal checking account that includes all your fund balance, all your fund activity as well. So everything kind of it's a what they call a poolled account. Everything kind of flows through there.

So can I point out a couple of things that's important? And if you could go down and move it over a bit. Can you move it? It can't move. Oh, sorry. Yeah. This way. Yeah. And go up now. So, on that first $2 million that you see there, um, that's a CD and Gary didn't take the million dollar there because it was earning interest and I think it's locked up locked up till a certain time. So, what Gary did was took it out of our operation. So, if you can go all the way down. Right. Yeah. Right there.

So, right now Right now, when you're looking at that $4.684 million, it's actually $5.84 million because he took a million out of there. So, once he takes it out of the top one, it's going to replenish a million dollars at the bottom. You guys follow me? You look like he told us that.

The the other thing that to keep in mind when you're looking at this operation, we have what is called special revenue funds. Okay? Those special revenue funds are funds that we can actually use the money, but they're really uh set aside for certain uh the police the uh the uh it's usually grant funds grant funds and stuff we use for certain we used a certain amount of it last year out of the $135,000. Right. So there's probably about taxing the people.

There's about $800,000 that's being used in that operations. that's really not our our money, but we're able to use it. And one of the things that uh Gary's going to be doing is getting those special revenue funds a report so we see it on a monthly basis where it's going. Now, if you look if you look up again, I'm sorry. So, you see the opera funds,

you see every month how you have the numbers haven't changed much. Okay. So, so no money has been spent since let's say June. Okay. So, that would be a concern and that's when we got to start asking the question, why haven't those funds been been spent? Now, I know the answer. One of them is for the computer and there are a couple other things, but those are things that we should be looking on a monthly basis. When funds are there and asking, why is it still there? Uh the special revenue funds, same thing. Uh if we get a report on a monthly basis, and we don't see those numbers changing, we should be asking the question, why aren't the funds be changing? So, these are all and I know you're not all uh used to it, but it's something that we should be looking at on a regular basis and asking the questions. Why aren't these funds being you? Okay? Or if we see something on the line, we should ask it. Again, this interests me. I can understand how other people it doesn't interest, but at the end of the day, we're we're at the end of the day, we're all responsible for it. These are financial tools that are at are in our box and they help us understand and identify uh where our money's going and coming from.

You're not wrong. All right, let's all go back to page two. No, we're going to move forward now. Three discussion and action regarding the financial management system bid. Yes, you can shut that off now, Maya. That was a joke. We're not going back to page two. Okay. So, um we um we went out to bid for the financial software. We had three biders. Um it was Edmonds who we're currently with.

Um a Clarion um who um only operates in Florida. I know down on that. And then there was Munis. Um the prices were astronomical. Wait, Tyler. Tyler was Tyler Technology. Yes. Everybody calls it something different. [laughter] Um what I'm looking at here, Edmonds was the lowest bidder by far. Okay.

We brought it um this not necessarily true. We um we looked at um all their um we had them do demos for for all three of them. Um myself, the um Ryan and the budget committee all watched the demos and we discussed um what what our plan of action would be. Um we're thinking because the price is so low that we should stay with Edmonds. Edmonds does have a what they tell us they have a better system than what we're using. So it would be an upgrade with them. Um the difference is um want to jump in.

So uh as you can see from the the prices obviously Tyler was really up there. Um the Clarion as uh Gary said they're they're a new company. They've only been in business 5 years. They have nobody north of of Georgia. Um so the discussion with the budget committee uh with uh uh Pauline who's had experience with uh software was that they were not a company that we wanted to take a a gamble with as far as that goes. Um when we met with Edmonds, we discovered that um part of the problem is that we have not taken advantage of the training that Edmonds offers. Um we discovered from several employees that they never actually really had any training from Edmonds that they had, you know, they got training from somebody who was at the desk next to them. And if they were doing the wrong thing, then we were continuing to do the wrong thing. Um, so uh the discussion with the the budget committee and and uh Pauline and Gary and myself is that uh Edmonds has a similar package uh with to Tyler. They have the same features they'll be able to give us. One of the benefits with Edmonds is that there's no conversion pro uh process. One of the big expensive uh uh prospects or aspects of a new software is the conversion of your old data to new data and there's always kinks and and training issues there. So uh we looked at it that Edmonds is uh we be able to convert our data or not even have to worry about converting our data because it's the same uh computer language. Uh there are some big improvements that we be able to take advantage of. Um and you know that

includes training, some equipment that we're going to need um uh some cons consultation to help make sure that uh it there's a smooth transition. Uh but from all of our discussions uh it's our recommendation that we uh go with uh improvement with Edmond's software. Mr. Hanley,

I got I'm the biggest problem that I saw that we had with Edmonds is when we were going through all of these finance directors and the assistants and this and that. Nobody knows how to use it. Nobody else in the state uses it from what I understood. So we every time somebody came in, they all knew the other software, but nobody knew Edmonds, so we couldn't use it. If it if it's going to be the same thing, if nobody else uses Edmmonds, if we've got an Edel and nobody knows how to drive it, what good is it? I'm not saying you're going anywhere, Gary, but in the future, if you decide to go somewhere else, we got a system that we don't know how to use and the person coming in doesn't know how to use.

Well, some of the issues with with admins that we I see that you guys were having is I think the setup is bad. I think from the start the chart of accounts is very confusing. Um there's way too many levels of entry. Um I'm going into detail, but um this new system would be a lot cleaner. So, you know, you're not making that every time you make an entry in Edmonds, it seems like there's like four entries that go that are in the background and that'll be a lot cleaner and it makes it a lot easier to understand. Um, as far as I mean, an accountant can work with an accounting system. It's usually not a problem. Um, I'm dealing I'm digging in pretty pretty good with admins. Um, it it took me a while. I'll be honest with you, you know, and even some stuff now I'm like, you know, but I I think if we clean it up and we get it working properly, I think going forward it it it'd be similar to any other accounts.

Mr. Yeah. So, so one of the biggest issues that we're not even mentioning here, we're kind of banging Edmonds a little bit, but we haven't had an an update in how many years? Well, it's not that it wasn't updated. They um I mean they were doing they were doing updates. Matter of fact, they just did one last week. Um they they're automatic updates when the system needs to be updated. It it's getting updated. We I I I don't know if that was the issue issue or if it was a bigger issue that nobody really knew what to do with it. I can tell you for the last year of our finance director, they didn't go near it. Yeah.

So with our previous director calendar year it it was kryptonite. Now the next issue I think we should look at and John you're always bringing this up. What about annual expenditures? I mean annual expenses. Well that's so the other programs are very high right. Yeah. And the other programs that the rest of the state is using if we were to go along with that system that's a very cost costly program. Yeah. you're looking at um like $30,000 versus $9,000 which is what we're paying now. Now actually Edmonds the annual fee will stay the same as it is right now.

So the only difference is we have to pay the um the conversion um it's um it's $8,000 up front. Why is there such a big price difference? I know 17,000 to 373 because they can really Edmonds wants to keep our business. I guess another way of looking at it probably maybe I I mean I looking at this the price differential between Edmond and the other two it's pretty shocking but I mean the the Aclarian isn't as much of a jump as as uh Tyler is.

But we've already ruled them out because they're in Florida and they're not working with anybody this far in and it's $32,000y old company. Exactly. So Edmonds seems to be like the only option. So Gary again once we get into this contract there we can have certain expectations of them or we could request that. Correct. Yes. To me looking at the to me it's a no-brainer even though it it may be an inferior product but $350,000 less. Buy a lot of penc. I can buy a lot of finance directors. [laughter] You can give me a nice big

and and Edmonds is being used in some Connecticut uh towns. So, they they are close and they do have a um uh a users meeting every year, you know, training an annual training session that I I don't think anybody ever really took advantage of any of that. I believe I'm not exaggerating. For the past calendar year, it's been not looked at as anything worth looking at. We've just been always told it was so horrible. Michael used to say it's not so horrible. You just have to know how to Yeah, it it it does take, you know, I I I'll grant you it takes a while to get used to, you know, but I think the new system it won't be like that.

Gary, what system did you use in principle? Ty. Yeah, they had tie when I Well, I actually was at the police station when they got tired. So I only saw the department side of it. Okay. Um and they only had it for a year. Prior to that they had for two years they had what they call it was acupun and then prior to that was just access. Most of the time I was there was I was just using an access that Okay, let's stick to this. Let's try to get out of here before tomorrow. Um, so I'm going to make a motion that we award the we award the bid to Edmonds. Is it called Edmonds Gov Tech

for the new financial software? M M Mr. President, could we add in there um uh training absolutely a training and equipment? Uh I believe Gary has a a breakdown of what we would need. Yeah. So, um, because we we have that those opera funds set aside for this. Correct. So, we're not obviously not going to use much of it because Don't worry, I'm trying to spend trying to spend the rest of it, right? Yeah. We got to figure out where we're

So, we're looking um it was um the budget committee and and um this group got together and we decided to um we needed a couple of things. We were looking to spend 30,000 of that for a consultant to um bring in and try and put together a um procedures manual that will help in transitions, you know. Okay. Do we have a total on that somewhere? Um this was five. Yep. Yeah. So, we're looking and now you have where's the So, it was was 30,000 for um for consulting. Um, then we're looking for 7,500 for training. Oh,

and that would be that would cover like overtime in case we we want to do this after hours or Yep. No, I'm looking for a sheet that's got the total. And you have a total I don't think we gave you a sheet on that. I'm sorry. This was last minute. Um, we're looking for $4,000 of that money to go toward towards equipment. I think we need to get scanners for everybody who don't lowball it. Well, no. Well, in regards to what you need, if you need is this crucial to do it now or can we wait till next month when you have an exact number for us to uh No, we could probably do it, you know, we accept this this uh going with Edmonds and then come back with with not to exceed Yeah. That way.

Okay. You have $200,000 200 Yeah, there's 220 of that was uh ear for it allocated for it, but we're not going to have numbers under 50 with this the the 30 maybe probably under 50, right? 30. Yeah. If we make if I make a motion to approve the bid from Edmonds Govve with the additional training not and equipment not to exceed $50,000. Let's come back. I think we're better off coming back next month. That way if there's other things that we could address, I think we don't have no let's award the bid to Edmonds Gov Tech to get you going and then come back with what you need next month. Is there a second? Second.

All in favor? Thank you. And thank you. Even though uh remember some of our some of our uh strengths are accepting our weaknesses of each other. I should say we need to make our strengths the acceptance of some of our weaknesses. So when some of us up here get tired and Mr. President, may I just just add on to that? I'd like to thank the budget committee for absolutely

for for participating in all uh they they were at every um live demo. You know, they gave us a lot of input and I know they get they get no financial uh reward, but other than the fact that they're helping the town and uh you know, I know for myself and Gary and Pauline, we appreciate their input. It's uh very important. What's up? Coming in at zero. Good work. [laughter] Thank you. All right. Uh tax assessor. Yeah, I got the sheet here. We have uh I think I had it somewhere over here.

I got it. I'll make a motion we abate the 2025 tax roll in the amount of $287.37. Second. All in favor? I. And I will make a motion that we put an addition to the 2025 25 tax role in the amount of $728.76 cents. Second. All in favor? I. RC director discussion and action regarding a resolution in support of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Recreation Grant application to retrofit the athletic lights and restore bleaches at Veterans Field. Anything else? Is there a motion to approve?

Second. All in favor? I. Next, we have discussion and action regarding Altier mobile sauna rental fees. What do they charge in other towns? I was not really able to find out. They don't. The little Compton just lets them go. Well, Middletown, uh, there's another one in Middletown. I tried to email her, but she did not get back to me. I I I only know what what happened. They just let it go to Southshore Beach and now they let it go to uh Sakana Harbor. So yeah, so I just went with what we charge for facilities um using our fee structure that we already currently have.

And have you uh let her know that? I let her know that there would be a fee. Um but I I didn't let her know the amount. I was waiting for you guys. We don't know if she's going to say like for that. No, I mean um yeah, I don't I don't know. I mean, I can Excuse me if I could interrupt, please. Because why don't we try uh we she's h housed here in in Warren. She is. So, she pays rent. The building pays taxes. Why don't we see how she does to encourage uh the business to to thrive here since the other communities aren't charging? Let's see if this

little there are other com there are other communities that charge not but just not where she is. So there are other sauners other saunas. There are other sauna companies like there is one at third uh one of the beaches in Middletown. Um and she pays rent to Middletown. Oh all right. So it's not across the board that every place else right. There are a number of sauna companies. She just owns one. And the number you're looking at for use uh fees, how high or how low what what are we coming in at compared to the other places? I don't know. I I tried to contact a couple of them and I did not have any success.

So, do you need uh this to happen in order for uh the process to begin? Like when's her season beginning? She was waiting to hear from us. She wasn't in a rush. Um so I wanted to get her a price first. What were you thinking of charging? This is what I was thinking of charging. 400. 400 for a month. 400. No utilities. Chief Peppers get generators. It seems reasonable to me. I'll make a motion to approve. Wait, that's four 400 for the whole season. Oh, per month. Per month. Per month. And how many months?

I think it was going to be uh it will start now in December and I think she'll go till April. sellers for $400 a month. No, this is for her to set up shuts up people pay. It's a business to generate $400 a month to pay us plus what she's going to generate. That's a lot of people to go in and probably side her own. You'd be surprised in a weekend. Really? You'd be surprised. It's a very popular. All right. I I can't even get in. I I'm reading this. Why don't we do a one month? I thought you were going to say the door's too small. I don't know. [laughter]

That too. Okay. All right. I'm bringing it back. Bringing it back. Why don't we do it uh one month now for the 400 and I I mean I really want to Well, why don't why don't I go to her and say this is what the council approved. If she has an issue with it, I can come back to you. Yeah. Thank you. That's what I'm hoping. I don't want to see it be because I you don't want to deter her. I don't know if there's going to be such a big push now until it gets going and I I don't want to re house her here and uh that's my big kind of I will I will bring this to her if she has issues. So Mr. Johnley's motion stands and is there a second? Second.

All in favor? Thank you. I don't want to not look at our businesses as you know getting her going. discussion and action regarding Memorial Bench 26 pricing. 2026 pricing. Where are we going to put them all? No more at the beach, right? Um this this is just the updated pricing, but there there are still

if somebody would like to come to that, I can get a price for that. But that is not something we offer normally. I'll make a motion to approve the 2026 memorial bench price prices as recommended. I am adding I I did add picnic tables. Yeah. Good. Yep. Uh second. All in favor? Now Oh, thank you. That's all. That's it. Now it's executive session. Nope. Now we have Mr. Wheeler discussion in action on replacing the shells on Grant and Ivy streets with reclaimed asphalt as matter of cost savings and availability.

Yeah, this is basically uh we've had a really hard time this year trying to get shells and the price has doubled this year. So 60 yards is costing us around 4,800 whereas last year and years previous we were paying under 2,200 for 60 odds. So, we know that there's shells being used at the Wolf and I'd like to keep it to the areas that are easier to get shells for, and where our town actually really likes them. Uh, Grant Ivy, I think they really want it paved. That obviously is a lot more money than what we have, but we have plenty of reclaimed asphalt for free right now. It's the beginning of paving,

right? Every claim at uh stuff that you have, it'll be almost like baving, right? Once you roll it and stuff, if done correctly, it'll act as if it'll last a lot longer and it's a binder. It's a lot cheaper to get. Any reason why the shells are so much more expensive? I I'm not positive. I know that a lot of people having the same issues trying to get them. Well, they have to process them. A lot of it's coming out of the cape now. The meat has to be removed. Yeah, a lot coming out of the cape. The seagulls will get it. Yeah, that happened in Tibetan. And then we question for the solicitor. Is there any DEM sort of concerns just because I know when it comes to replacing shells with asphalt is sometimes

that was not considered permeable surfaces either. So I believe it fall yeah the answer is there there's no DEM concern with what is proposed. Got it. Is there a motion? Can can I just ask a question? So like uh does it need to be shelves uh by the water there where you know is that required where everybody go? Nowhere needs to be shells. We're just keeping it for aesthetics for most of it. I what I was told by a lot of the guys that have been here for a while that shells used to be really cheap, free and they were using it that because it was easy to get. Now with it becoming harder, we are looking at certain roads to start with. There was a multi-million dollar lawsuit in Tibetan for not processing them.

I know. But there was a massive lawsuit in Tibetan that pretty much changed the way uh shells were used. They're all processed. They're all looked at as uh yard materials, whatever you call it. Yeah. The only reason I'm asking, every time I go down there, I love going down there. It might cause a mess. But is there a way of asking to see what people would feel about going with the uh or you think it's a little Yeah. I mean I I walk Yeah, it would make our job easier if we I mean we've we've talked about other options of potentially just doing the main drive in and leaving the parking space of shells. Um just to limit how much shells were purchased. You get the uh you get the look, but at least where they park. All right. Can we have a motion on this item though? Sure. Second. All in favor?

I There you go. Yeah, sure. We can do it. Yeah, that that's a good idea, Brian. All right, everybody. You don't have to go home, but you're going to go. We're going to go into executive session to keep this fun happening.

All right, we're good. Are we good? Yep. I make a motion we come out of executive session and seal the minutes. Second. All in favor? I I make a motion we instruct the solicitor to proceed as discussed in executive session. Second. All in favor? I. Is there a motion to adjurnn? Second. All in favor I