MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CUMBERLAND TOWN COUNCIL

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 AT 7:30 P.M.

VIRTUAL - OPEN SESSION

 

 

The regular meeting was called to order at 7:34pm.

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

President Dwyer, Councilors Gemski, Kinch, Shaw, Bradley, Beaulieu and Schmitt

 

Also present— Mayor Jeffrey Mutter; Chief of Staff Linda Teel; Community Outreach Coordinator Sarah King; Town Clerk Sandra M. Giovanelli; Town Solicitor Kelley Morris Salvatore; Director of Public Works Bob Anderson; Water Superintendent Chris Champi; Recreation Director Mike Crawley; Police Chief John Desmarais.

 

President Dwyer read the following:

 

“To protect the health and well-being of our citizens, and in accordance with Governor’s Raimondo’s Executive Order
20-25 (relaxing the Open Meetings Act requirements) this meeting will be available to the public by video or telephone conference.  All members of the Town Council will be participating remotely. Members of the public can listen or participate by clicking on the link posted on the agenda.

 

Comments can be emailed to publiccomments@cumberlandri.org including your name, address,
and statement. Only comments including all required information will be read into the record.

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

President Dwyer announced the schedule of budget hearings:

Special Town Council meeting: Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 6:30pm. (presentation and permission to advertise)

Finance Sub-Committee public hearing: Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 6:00pm.

First public hearing: Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 6:30pm.

Second public hearing and first vote: Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 6:30pm.

Final vote: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 6:30pm.

 

These will all be virtual meetings via Zoom.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

A.    Acceptance of Minutes of the Special (executive) and Regular meetings of May 20, 2020, and the Special Meeting of May 28,2020.

 

B.  APPROVED PERMITS FOR TEMPORARY OUTDOOR SEATING

     1.  Poppy’s Family Restaurant, 3344 Mendon Road

 

     2.  GottaQ Smokehouse BBQ, 2000 Mendon Road, Suite #10 (awaiting approvals)

 

     3.  Angelo’s Palace Pizza, 133 Mendon Road

 

C. APPROVED PERMITS MUNICIPAL MOBILE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT

1.      La Guaguita Del Sabor

 

2.      Bonetown Burgers and BBQ

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR KINCH, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

President Dwyer paused at 7:37pm and resumed at 7:38pm to allow for any callers or emails. There were none.

 

REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS

A.  Playground and Senior Center Update

Chief of Staff Linda Teel reported that:

·         the heating system had been updated at the senior center

·         the electrical work was underway and would be completed mid to late July

·         the kitchen was nearing completion

·         the playground improvements were in process, with assistance from several volunteers.

 

LICENSES

A.  SPECIAL EVENT ENTERTAINMENT LICENSE:

1.  An application for a Special Event Entertainment License from Alli Katterheinrich for The American Cancer Society Relay for Life to be held August 16, 2020 at Diamond Hill Park

 

Alli Katterheinrich was present via Zoom to give an overview of the event and answer any questions. 

 

Public hearing opened at 7:53pm.

 

In response to questions about providing a plan that would represent social distancing provisions for the event, Recreation Director Mike Crawley spoke to having those plans in place after the Governor’s Phase 3 reopening guidelines are announced. He also noted that this is the only event scheduled at the park until September.

 

Public hearing closed at 8:02pm.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SCHMITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE, BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

B. HAWKER’S LICENSE:

1.   An application for a Hawker’s License from Phantom Fireworks Eastern Regional LLC d/b/a Phantom Fireworks to be located at 1170 Mendon Road from June 24^th to July 4th

 

Applicant Joshua Nielssen, 59 East Street, Vernon, CT, was present via Zoom to answer any questions.

 

Public hearing opened at 8:03pm.

 

Public hearing closed at 8:04pm.

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

C.  HOLIDAY LICENSE:

      1.  An application for a Holiday License from Phantom Fireworks Eastern Regional LLC d/b/a Phantom Fireworks to
           be located at 1170 Mendon Road

 

Public hearing opened at 8:04p.m.

 

Public hearing closed at 8:04p.m.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

NEW BUSINESS 

A.    APPOINTMENTS – BUILDING OFFICIAL:

Brad Ward

 

Mr. Ward was present via Zoom and answered questions from the Council.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

B.     RESOLUTIONS:

1.  R-20-76 – Authorizing Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter to enter into a contract with Hart Engineering Corporation for the construction of The Franklin Farm Well Facility for the Cumberland Water Department in an amount not to exceed $4,410,000.00.

 

Water Superintendent Chris Champi spoke to the bidding and selection process. Only two bids were received, presumably due to the bidding climate in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Director of Public Works Bob Anderson spoke in favor of Hart Engineering.

 

Some discussion was held as to whether the Franklin Farms Building Committee should be involved.

 

Public hearing opened at 8:11pm.

 

Public hearing closed at 8:43pm.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

2.  R-20-77 – Authorizing Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter and the Cumberland Police Department to purchase one (1) 2020 Ford Police Utility AWD Black vehicle from CMG Colonial Municipal Group in an amount not to exceed Thirty-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred Thirty-Nine and 80/100 Dollars ($33,939.80)

 

Public hearing opened at 8:47pm.

 

Police Chief Desmarais stated that this vehicle is replacing one damaged in an accident. The cost of the new vehicle would be covered primarily through the insurance settlement, the rest through department budget reallocations.

 

Public hearing closed at 8:48pm.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR KINCH, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

3.  R-20-78 – A resolution authorizing and empowering Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter to enter into a contract with Sports Turf Specialties, Inc. in an amount not to exceed Seventy-Two Thousand, Six Hundred Five and 82/100 Dollars ($72,605.82)

 

Public hearing opened at 8:49pm.

 

Recreation Director Mike Crawley and Mayor Mutter each spoke to the history of the Diamond Hill recreation fields, explained the necessity of repairing them, how the money would be appropriated, and what the monitoring process would be going forward.

 

Discussion ensued with the Council.

 

Public hearing closed at 9:10p.m.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR GEMSKI, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE. VOTE 7/0

 

4.  R-20-79 – A resolution authorizing Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter to enter into a contract with Romtec, Inc. in an amount not to exceed Ninety-Four Thousand, Eight Hundred Sixty-Eight and 79/100 Dollars($94,868.79)

 

Public hearing opened at 9:11p.m.

 

Chief of Staff Linda Teel stated that this installation of a self-contained, two-part bathroom with compostable toilets is part of the trailhead improvements funded by a $300,000.00 grant received. The approval of this resolution allows the town to go forward with the DEM permitting process.

 

Discussion ensued regarding Beta Group (the consultant) and Keystone (the purchasing cooperative), bringing in water and electricity to the toilet location, the use of DPW manpower to assist in keeping costs down, and efforts to deter vandalism.

 

Public hearing closed at 9:23p.m.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SCHMITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0

 

5.  R-20-80 – A resolution authorizing and empower Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter to execute an easement to the Narragansett Electric Company for installation and maintenance of an underground distribution system on Assessor’s Plat 59, Lot 15

 

Public hearing opened at 9:25p.m.

 

Town solicitor Kelley Morris Salvatore explained that in late 2016 the Town Council authorized an agreement for a lease with Verizon Wireless to construct a cell phone tower in the Ski Valley area, on town property. The Cumberland Zoning Board issued a special use permit and the Planning Board issued site plan approval as well. Narragansett Electric is now installing the utilities, and they require an easement.

 

Public hearing closed at 9:26p.m.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SCHMITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0

 

6.  R-20-81 – A resolution ratifying Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter’s Executive Order 20-05

 

Public hearing opened at 9:27p.m.

 

Solicitor Morris-Salvatore explained this was the consolidation of relevant material from previous Executive Orders, with various amendments. She asked for amendments to this resolution on lines 5 and 28 to read “20-05A”.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO AMEND LINES 5 AND 28 BY ADDING “A” TO “20-05”, BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0

 

Public hearing closed at 9:30p.m.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE AS AMENDED BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0

 

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Mayor Mutter stated for the record that the curfew that had been imposed the previous evening had been the result of a credible report of a threat in Central Falls and the recommendations from the public safety chiefs, as well as the State, to impose the curfew. There were no subsequent credible threats and that curfew was now lifted.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN AT 9:35P.M.  VOTE 7/0

 

 

____________________________________

Sandra M. Giovanelli, Town Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

FOR A FULL ACCOUNT OF THIS MEETING PLEASE REFER TO THE VIDEO RECORDING ACCESSIBLE ON THE TOWN’S WEBSITE, www.cumberlandri.org.

ADDITIONALLY, THE DVD OF THE ENTIRE MEETING IS AVAILABLE AT THE EDWARD J. HAYDEN LIBRARY.