MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CUMBERLAND TOWN COUNCIL

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2020 AT 7:30 P.M.

VIRTUAL - OPEN SESSION

 

 

The regular meeting was called to order at 7:35pm.

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

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

 

Also present— Mayor Jeffrey Mutter; Chief of Staff Linda Teel; Community Outreach Coordinator Sarah King; Deputy Town Clerk Jane H. Christopher; Town Solicitor Kelley Morris Salvatore; Finance Director Ray Chauvin

 

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 and/or participate by clicking on the link posted on the agenda., or by calling any of the numbers listed on the agenda. This meeting will also be livestreamed on Clerk base by clicking on the link on the town website.

 

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

Mayor Mutter notified the Council that due to the increase in COVID cases, as of Monday, November 23, 2020 the Town Hall would be open to the public by appointment only, and through use of the drop box.

 

The Mayor also reported that the DEM permit for the Diamond Hill Trailhead bathroom facility had been received. He thanked the Council for supporting for the project.

 

President Dwyer announced that ordinances #20-22, #20-29 and #20-30 listed under Old Business had not yet been heard by the Ordinance Sub Committee and would be tabled to a future meeting.

 

UNANIMOUS CONSENT ITEMS

 

CONSENT AGENDA

A.  Acceptance of Minutes of the Special and Regular Meetings of November 4, 2020.

 

B.  COMMUNICATIONS 

1. C-20-49 – A resolution from the Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island relating to State Assistance during the COVID-19 Emergency

 

C. MUNICIPAL MOBILE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT PERMIT:   

          1.  Sunnyside on the Street, 1435 Iron Mine Hill Rd, North Smithfield

 

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

 

D.  2020 "Light up the Town" Outdoor Holiday Decorating Contest

 

Councilor Beaulieu spoke to sponsoring this outdoor decorating event as a means of fostering community and to brighten spirits during this difficult period. Ten awards would be given for ten categories.

 

E.  Discussion of Trailhead bathroom facility and Section 1713 of the Town Charter

 

Mayor Mutter stated that he had put this on the agenda in response to a question from Councilor Bradley regarding following section 1713 of the ordinance and his comment about circumventing the Charter. The Mayor, Solicitor Morris Salvatore and Councilor Bradley discussed the creation and dissolution of building committees on projects where such a committee would be necessary.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

President Dwyer paused at 7:41pm and resumed at 7:44pm.

 

Solicitor Kelley Morris Salvatore commented that there had been a question from Aiden of 48 West Wrentham Road asking for clarification on steps to remove the restriction for alcohol on Chucky’s Creamery, which she would address.

 

President Dwyer also stated that an email had come in from Deborah Vine-Smith regarding Ordinance #20-22 (now being tabled) and asked that her email be put into the record, as follows:

 

Mayor Mutter and members of the Cumberland Town Council:

Since  Ordinance 20-22's update as noted by the Valley Breeze https://www.valleybreeze.com/2020-11-11/cumberland-lincoln-area/proposed-fire-pit-rules-cumberland-get-some-changes#.X7Wwx2hKg5s is not posted for the general public to access and thus comment on TONIGHT during the Cumberland Town Council meeting, it MUST be TABLED!!!!  

 

Respectfully,

Deborah Vine-Smith

 

REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS

A.  Monthly/Quarterly Financial Report ending October 31, 2020.

      Budget to Actual

 

B.  Check registers for October 1 through October 31, 2020.

 

Finance Director Ray Chauvin outlined details of his report the check registers and the progress of the conversion to the new accounting system. Mr. Chauvin complimented his staff on the outstanding job they are doing.

 

C.  A request from the Tax Assessor to review and approve October 2020 abatements and supplemental bills

 

President Dwyer read the individual totals:

 

TOTAL 2018 AND 2020 MOTOR VEHICLE ABATEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $210.45.

 

TOTAL 2020 REAL ESTATE ABATEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $916.48. 

 

TOTAL 2020 REAL ESTATE SUPPLEMENTALS IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,118.69. 

 

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

 

OLD BUSINESS

A.  ORDINANCES FOR PUBLIC HEARING:

1.  #20-22 – An ordinance establishing a new Article to address the use of recreational fire pits within the Town of Cumberland (Presented by the Council President on behalf of the Administration)

 

2.  #20-29 – An ordinance authorizing the placement of stop signs at the intersections of Hines Road and Waumsett Ave. and Hines Road and Pequot Ave. (Presented by the Council President on behalf of the Administration)

 

3.  #20-30 – An ordinance relating to Secondhand Goods and Fees (Presented by the Council President on behalf of the Administration)

 

Councilor Schmitt stated that as the election has not been certified and the two new Council members sworn in, he thought it best to have the Ordinance Sub Committee meet on these ordinances during the week of December 8, 2020, and subsequently bring them in front of the Council at their December 16, 2020 meeting.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SCHMITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO TABLE TO DECEMBER 16, 2020 BY A ROLL CALL.   VOTE 7/0.  

   

NEW BUSINESS

A. CLAIMS:

          1.  Heidi Wareing

     

Referred to the Solicitor’s office.

 

B.  RESOLUTIONS:

1.  R-20-117 –  A resolution recognizing November 28, 2020 as Small Business Saturday in the Town of Cumberland

 

Public hearing opened at 8:23pm

 

Mayor Mutter gave a brief overview of this resolution, commenting on the hardships small businesses were encountering during this pandemic period.

 

Public hearing closed at 8:26pm.

 

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

 

2.  R-20-118 –  A resolution authorizing and empowering Mayor Jeffrey Mutter to enter into a contract with Nationwide Construction in an amount not to exceed one hundred seventy-three thousand five hundred sixty-five dollars ($173,565.00)

 

Public hearing opened at 8:27pm

 

Chief of Staff Linda Teel began by sharing the good news that the new CDBG grant awarded today had given Cumberland an additional $300,000.00 to work on the improvements to the senior center. Cumberland was also awarded $27,382.00 for Project Learn.

 

Ms. Teel reviewed this resolution covering the work of repairing the flat and asphalt roofs in order to protect the new kitchen and all the interior work done to date. Less work is being done at this time than originally anticipated, due to pandemic issues.

 

A brief discussion was held regarding CDBG regulations limiting the Building Committee to stay with the lowest original bidder under the terms of the grant, even if the scope of work changes.

 

Councilor Beaulieu commented that it was great to see all the improvements being made to such an important building.

 

Public hearing closed at 8:37pm.

 

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

 

C.  ORDINANCES FOR PRESENTATION AND PERMISSION TO ADVERTISE:

1.  #20-31 –  An ordinance amending the salaries of the Executive Staff and Other Positions (Presented by the Council President on behalf of the Administration)

 

Referred to the Finance Sub Committee

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

President Dwyer paused at 8:41pm to allow members of the public to comment on any topic, and resumed at 8:43pm.

 

Ted Vecchio, 97 Cottage Street, Pawtucket, commented about dumping at the historic cemetery at the end of Willis Drive and asked if the Council could look into it and perhaps place “No Dumping” signs at the location.

 

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN AT 8:44P.M.  VOTE 7/0. 

 

 

 

____________________________________

Jane H. Christopher, Deputy 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.