MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CUMBERLAND TOWN COUNCIL

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2023, at 7:30 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 7:32pm with a roll call of members.   

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

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

 

Also present—Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter; Town Solicitor Kelley Morris Solicitor; Town Clerk Sandra M Giovanelli

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

CONSENT AGENDA

A.    Acceptance of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of March 1, 2023

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE.  VOTE 6/0.

Abstained: Councilor Schmitt

           

B.  MUNICIPAL MOBILE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT

      1.  Sport Graphics, Inc., d/b/a Shishkaberrys of New England

      2.  Twisted Ts LLC, d/b/a Twisted Ts

      3.  Chicked Out Nuggz LLC d/b/a Chicked out Nuggz

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR METIVIER, SECONDED BY COUNCILORS MAGILL & SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS   

There were none.

 

REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS

A.  Auditors Report

Mayor Mutter introduced Kyle Connors from Marcum LLP who presented the audit report.

Discussion ensued between the Council and Mr. Connors regarding ransomware, Cybersecurity standards, Water Department Revenues and pensions.

 

Mayor Muter extended his appreciation to Mr. Connors.

 

B.  Report of Executive Session vote(s), as may be necessary   
      There were none to report.

C.  Update from the School Committee

Denis Collins reported the following:

·         Cumberland High School has announced the valedictorian and salutatorian for the class of 2023, the 129^th graduating class; Orion Le and Susanna Henderson, respectively. Graduation will be Friday, June 16th at
Tucker Field.

·         BF Norton School, in conjunction with Rhode Island College, has provided an enrichment program for students before school.

·         Student enrollment is up and the administration is devising a plan to address it. The schools are currently at 5,006 students, the highest enrollment since 2008.

·         Mr. Collins offered a walk through at BF Norton school with architects to evaluate the need for a 4track school.

·         School construction: Ashton School is on track; Community School is on track; Garvin’s renovation is on track, the new addition there is behind due to weather and supply chain issues with steel.

·         School sports –boys & girls swim teams were named team of the week; Alyssa Yankee is state champion in shot put; North Cumberland Middle School basketball team made state championships. Spring sports start March 20^th.

·         The kindergarten/first grade/new students portal is now open.

·         The School Committee is having discussions on the increase of enrollment and the impact on existing schools.

 

D.  Monthly/Quarterly Financial Report ending February 28, 2023

Councilor Beaulieu inquired about the Information Technology budget

 

E.  Check registers for February 28, 2023

Mayor Mutter gave context from the check register to one of the slides in the audit presentation.

 

F.  Request from the Tax Assessor to review and approve February 2023 abatements and supplemental bills

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MAGILL, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE 2022 TANGIBLE ABATEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $74.95. 

VOTE 7/0.

 

G.  Department Reports

           1.  Animal Control

           2.  Building Committees

           3.  Building Official

           4.  Library

           5.  Parks & Recreation

           6.  Planning Board

           7.  Police Department

           8.  Senior Services

           9.  Town Clerk’s Office

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

A.  ORDINANCES FOR PUBLIC HEARING   

1.  #22-05A – An ordinance in amendment of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Cumberland, Rhode Island, as amended amending the Ordinance and map thereof with reference to Cumberland Assessor’s Plat 016, Lot 0893 (tabled from January 18, 2022)

 

President Kinch noted that Planning Board approval was still outstanding and asked for a motion to table to May 3, 2023.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SCHMITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO TABLE TO MAY 3, 2023.  VOTE 7/0.

 

 

2.  #22-13A – An ordinance in amendment of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Cumberland, Rhode Island, as amended, amending the Ordinances and map thereof with reference to Cumberland Assessor’s Plat 7, Lot 0237 (tabled from January 18, 2023)

 

This ordinance had been withdrawn by the applicant.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

A.  RESOLUTIONS

1.  R-23-17 – A resolution establishing various assigned Fund Balances

 

Mayor Mutter noted that as discussed by the auditors this is a strategy to assign some of the funds illustrated during the audit presentation. These are just a strategy and can be changed at any time.

 

Discussion ensued with the Council.

 

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

 

2.  R-23-18 – A resolution authorizing a grant of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($175,000.00) to the Cumberland Land Trust to be used towards the acquisition of 84 acres of land on Tower Hill Road

 

Conservation Commission Chair Joe Luca, 52 Staples Road, reported that he had met with the Land Trust and previously had walked the property, both valuable as real estate and beneficial as open space to the town. This beautiful piece of land with a large amount of frontage on Tower Hill Road and abutting state land would be a worthy investment.

 

Land Trust President Randy Tuomisto, 411 Reservoir Road, gave a history of the property and its appraised value of $880,000.00. He stated they had secured the RIDEM maximum grant of $400,000.00 which they had to match. The landowners assisted by reducing their price by $50,000.00. The Trust partnered with Pawtucket Water for $180,000.00 and used $75,000.00 of Land Trust funds, leaving $125,000.00 that they are asking the Town to provide.

 

Mr. Tuomisto related that the property is adjacent to the original site of one of the “Beacon Poles”, which George Washington had had erected at Fox Point in Providence and Tower Hill in Cumberland to warn of the Redcoats; the remnants of the pole still exist. He summarized additional reasons it is advantageous to secure the property.

 

Land Trust Treasurer Joe Pailthorpe, 56 Old West Wrentham Road, stated that there used to be a schoolhouse on the property, and that Thomas Jefferson visited one of the houses on that property.

 

President Kinch welcomed Land Trust Associate Director Marcel Beausoleil, 15 Roberts Street, who was also present.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MAGILL, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO AMEND LINE 19 TO CHANGE LOT 69 TO LOT 60.

 

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

 

3.  R-23-19 – A resolution authorizing and empowering Mayor Jeffrey J. Mutter to engage the services of Beta Group for the Onsite Wastewater Treatment System design at the Cumberland Highway Department in an amount not to exceed eleven thousand five hundred dollars ($11,500)

 

Mayor Mutter explained the need to replace the existing cesspool at the Pascal garage which had failed. Payment will come out of the sewer fund emergency repair line.

 

Councilor Bradley questioned the funding source.

 

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MAGILL, AND IT IS VOTED TO APPROVE. VOTE 6/1.

Nay: Councilor Bradley

 

4.  R-23-20 – A resolution requiring Council, School Committee and Mayor to submit priorities for review and consideration to Charter Review Commission (Presented by Councilor Beaulieu)

 

Councilor Beaulieu explained that her rationale behind this resolution.

 

President Kinch expressed objection to the word “shall” in reference to the School Committee.

 

The Council discussed receiving recommendations from an independent Charter Review Commission. 

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SCHMITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, AND IT IS VOTED TO AMEND LINE 23 REPLACING THE WORD “SHALL” TO “MAY” BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 6/1.
Nay: Councilor Kinch

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS VOTED TO APPROVE R-23-20 AS AMENDED. VOTE 5/2

Nay: Councilors Kinch & Magill

 

B.  APPOINTMENTS

     BOARD OF CANVASSERS

     Matthew Perry (replacing Al Santos who resigned, new term to expire March 1, 2029)

 

Matt Perry, 8 Anna Mac Drive, was present and spoke to his past experience in Cumberland elections.

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SCHMITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR METIVIER, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE. VOTE 7/0.

 

Councilor Shaw gave thanks to Mr. Santos for his many years working on the Board of Canvassers.

 

C.  ORDINANCES FOR PRESENTATION & PERMISSION TO ADVERTISE

1.  #23-08 – An ordinance enabling Tax Stabilization Agreements (Presented by the Council President on behalf of the Administration)

 

Referred to the Ordinance Sub-Committee.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Joe Pailthorpe gave a shout out to the Town and all the staff for their prime partnership and assistance to the Land Trust.

 

School committee member Denis Collins stated that he had sent the NESDEC Survey results to the Council while in the chamber and spoke briefly to the increase in student population.

 

Mayor Mutter echoed Councilor Shaw’s comments regarding Mr. Santos’s passion and flare working on the Board of Canvassers. And, Mr. Pailthorpe is a difficult fellow to say “no” to. The Mayor also commented that Councilor Bradley was correct in his assessment about the funding for R-23-19; he will resubmit a new fiscal note for the funding.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR SHAW, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MAGILL, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN AT 9:18PM. 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.