MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CUMBERLAND TOWN COUNCIL

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2023, at 6:00 P.M.

CUMBERLAND TOWN HALL, EVERETT “MOE” BONNER, JR. COUNCIL CHAMBERS

45 BROAD STREET, CUMBERLAND, RHODE ISLAND

 

CALL TO ORDER

The regular meeting was called to order at 6:01pm with a roll call of members   

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

In person: President Kinch, Councilors Magill, Shaw, Schmitt and Beaulieu.

Arrived at 6:15pm: Councilor Bradley

Absent: Councilor Metivier

 

Also present—Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter; Town Solicitor Kelley Morris Solicitor; Town Clerk Sandra M.
                        Giovanelli; School Committee Chair Karen Freedman

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

NEW BUSINESS

A.  APPOINTMENTS

      SCHOOL COMMITTEE fulfilling Paul DiModica’s term, to expire November 2024

 

President Kinch announced that each applicant will have an opportunity to introduce themself and answer any questions. This selection process will be continued to January 18, 2023, at which time the Council will entertain nominations and vote to appoint a candidate.

The President also noted that Mr. Boday and Mr. McLaughlin had withdrawn their applications. It had also been determined that Ms. Stuen does not qualify as she is a paid employee of the School District.

 

Mr. Kinch asked School Committee Karen Freedman to pose her list of questions to each applicant. Ms. Freedman began by outlining the requirements of the position and the mandatory annual training. Ms. Freedman had prepared a list of five questions and randomly asked each candidate one or more of the questions; the Council also added their own questions. The candidates were heard in the following order:      

 

1.   Corey Blais - 69 Crestwood Court - Present

2.   Michael Boday (Applicant withdrew)

3.   Armen S. Casparian - 4 Teal Lane – Present 

4.   Noel M. Chambers - 7 Marywood Lane - Present

5.   Heather Chea – 82 Dexter Street - Present

6.   Daniel J. Cohen – 11 Buckboard Drive - Present

7.   Tracey L. Cook – 51 Paine Road - Present

8.   Charlotte J. Doherty – 771 N. Whipple Highway - Present

9.   Alexandria Evers – 60 Hadde Avenue - Present

10.  Peter Fiore – 64 Burnt Swamp Road - Present

11.  James T. Higgins – 2 Brayton Court – joined remotely via Zoom

12.  Timothy Iwuc – 46 Little Pound County Road - Present

13.  Clare Jabour Sidman – 13 West Valley Drive - Present

14.  Caleb Jacobson – 110 Oak Hill Drive - Present

15.  James N. McLaughlin (Applicant withdrew)

16.  Lisa O’Connell – 140 Hines Road – Present

17.  Brian Plouffe – 70 Pequot Avenue – joined remotely via Zoom

18.  Rachel Stuen (Applicant disqualified per Charter Provision 1701 Dual Office as she works for the School District)

19.  Amy S. Vogel – 10 Wampum Trail - Present

20.  Paul A. Young, Jr. – 6 Windsong Road - Present

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MAGILL, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO CONTINUE TO JANUARY 18, 2023. VOTE 6/0

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Armen Casparian, 4 Teal Lane, stated he would withdraw his application due to the overwhelming response from the other candidates.

 

Solicitor Morris-Salvatore asked that there be some discussion on the process for selecting a candidate.

 

Discussion ensued with the Council regarding that process. A ranking system method was evaluated.

 

Mayor Mutter suggested that each council member rank all 16 candidates by ballot and narrow them down from there.

 

Councilor Shaw moved that each member selects their top five candidates, and the field is narrowed from there.
There was no second, motion fails.

 

President Kinch moved, Councilor Shaw seconded, that each Councilor selects one candidate, limiting the field to a maximum of seven, and vote from there until someone gets 4 votes.

 

Councilor Schmitt asked for a further explanation and expressed a to consult Roberts Rules of Order.

 

Councilor Magill suggested that everyone put forward their top choice and then rank however many names are listed and on a point system.

 

President Kinch withdrew his motion.

 

Councilor Magill moved that each Council member would receive a ballot and put their top candidate on the ballot. Those would then be the only candidates for consideration. The Council would rank the candidates on another ballot and dwindle it down until one candidate receives four votes.
There was no second, motion fails.

 

Councilor Schmitt stated again that he wanted to research Roberts Rules of Order.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED THAT THE COUNCIL WILL, THROUGH RESEARCH AND FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THE JANUARY 18, 2023 MEETING, IDENTIFY A RANK CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM THAT CAN HELP IDENTIFY THE CANDIDATES; THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THAT SYSTEM IN ADVANCE OF ANY CANDIDATE VOTES ALSO HELD ON JANUARY 18, 2023. VOTE 6/0

 

President Kinch confirmed that there would be no further questions of the applicants at the January 18, 2023 meeting.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MAGILL, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN AT 9:01PM. VOTE 6/0

 

 

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             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.