POSTED JUNE 12, 2024
REGULAR MEETING JUNE 17, 2024
TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN, RHODE ISLAND
The following items of business, having been filed with the Town Clerk under the Rules of the Council, will come before the Council at a regular meeting to be held on Monday, June 17, 2024, 5:30 P.M. Executive Session and 6:30 P.M. Regular Meeting at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, Rhode Island. Said meeting will be conducted in person, by telephone conference call/ webinar, members of the public may access and listen to the meeting in real-time by calling 1-877-853-5257 (Toll Free) or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll Free) and entering Meeting ID: 893 7835 4783 or on the web at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89378354783
If you choose to join the meeting by zoom or telephone, Council Rules allow for the Public to speak only during the Public Forum and Public Hearings. If calling in by telephone, pressing *9 raises your hand and pressing *6 will unmute.
The items listed on the Consent portion of the agenda are to be considered routine by the Town Council and will ordinarily be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Council, or a member of the public so requests and the Town Council President permits, in which event the item will be removed from Consent Agenda consideration and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. All items on this agenda, with the exception of the Public Forum Session, may be considered, discussed, and voted upon in executive session and/or open session.
Pursuant to RIGL §42-46-6(b). Notice – “Nothing contained herein shall prevent a public body, other than a school committee, from adding additional items to the agenda by majority vote of the members. Such additional items shall be for informational purposes only and may not be voted on except where necessary to address an unexpected occurrence that requires immediate action to protect the public or to refer the matter to an appropriate committee or to another body or official.”
Any person not a member of the Council, desiring to address the Council concerning a matter on the docket of the Council, not the subject of a Public Hearing, shall submit a written request to the Town Clerk stating the matter upon which he desires to speak. Persons are permitted to address the Council for a period not to exceed five (5) minutes.
The Middletown Town Council follows the codification of present-day general parliamentary law as articulated in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 10th edition (2000), together with whatever rules of order the Council has adopted for its own governance. The motion to reconsider is one of the motions that can bring a question again before an assembly, and is designed to bring back for further consideration a motion which has already been voted on:
If, in the same session that a motion has been voted on, but no later than the same day or the next day on which a business meeting is held, new information or a changed situation makes it appear that a different result might reflect the true will of the assembly, a member who voted with the prevailing side can, by moving to Reconsider [RONR (10th ed.), p. 304-321] the vote,
propose that the question shall come before the assembly again as if it had not previously been considered. (From Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief, Robert, Evans et al., De Capo Press, 2004)
1. Executive Session - Pursuant to provisions of RIGL, Sections 42-46-2, 42-46-4 and 42-46-5 (a), (5) Land Acquisition, (5) Land Acquisition (West Main Road) and (2) Potential Litigation (Town of Middletown v. Oxbow Realty Associates, L.P., C.A. No.: NC2022-0292 (Newport Superior Court). - review, discussion and/or potential action and/or vote in executive session and/or open session.
2. The Town Administrator will provide an update on the School Building Project.
3. Pursuant to Rule 25 of the Rules of the Council, Citizens may address the town on one (1) subject only, said subject of substantive Town business, neither discussed during the regular meeting nor related to personnel or job performance. Citizens may speak for no longer than five (5) minutes and must submit a public participation form to the Council Clerk prior to the start of the meeting. All items discussed during this session will not be voted upon.
4. Applications three (3) received from the Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 Third Beach Road, for Class F Alcoholic Beverage Licenses - (19-hour license) for the following events and dates listed below:
· Summer Concert Series- held at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 Third Beach Road Thursday, July 11, 2024 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. (F-Beer and Wine)
· Summer Concert Series- held at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 Third Beach Road, change of date from September 19, 2024 to August 9, 2024 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. (F- Beer and Wine)
· Summer Concert Series- held at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 Third Beach Road, change of date from October 17, 2024 to August 23, 2023 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. (F- Beer and Wine)
5. Approval of Minutes, re: Regular Meeting, May 20, 2024.
6. Approval of Minutes, re: Special Meeting, May 22, 2024.
7. Approval of Minutes, re: Special Meeting, May 29, 2024
8. Approval of Minutes, re: Regular Meeting, June 3, 2024.
9. Application from Woody’s Tavern, LLC dba Woodhooker’s Sports Tavern, 238 East Main Road, for an Amusement License for the 2024-2025 licensing year. (NEW; DJ, Karaoke, Small Band, Guitar)
10. Application for Special Event Permit from Matthew Pereira, Middletown, for the Pereira Wedding Fireworks to be held Saturday, June 22, 2024- Fireworks off ocean barge in front of 651 Indian Avenue beginning around 9:00 pm.
11. Application of the Town of Middletown for Special Event Permit for Music in the Park – Summer Concert Series, Food Trucks and Lawn Games to be held on Mondays, July 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, 2024 beginning at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Paradise Valley Park. (Town Event all fees to be waived)
12. Application of the Town of Middletown for Special Event Permit for the Monday Night Music Series - Live Music, Firepits, Food Trucks to be held on Mondays, August 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, 2024 beginning at 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Sachuest Beach; August 26, 2024, includes Fireworks (Rain date August 27, 2024). (Town Event all fees to be waived)
13. Application for Special Event Permit from Newport County YMCA for the Newport County YMCA’s 39th Annual Thanksgiving Day Pie Run– 5-mile run; 3-mile walk/run race beginning at Newport County YMCA to be held on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at 8:30 am.
14. Communication of Kevin Boughton, Middletown, re: Installation of “No Parking” signage Rosedale Avenue.
15. An Ordinance of the Town of Middletown (First Reading)
An Ordinance in Amendment to the Town Code of the Town of Middletown, Title III Administration, Chapter 34 Taxes, Section 34.02, Exemption on Residential Property.
16. An Ordinance of the Town of Middletown (First Reading)
An Ordinance in Amendment to the Town Code of the Town of Middletown, Title III Administration, Chapter 34 Taxes, Section 34.30, Real Property Exemptions. (Tax Exemptions for Veterans)
17. An Ordinance of the Town of Middletown (First Reading)
An Ordinance in Amendment to the Town Code of the Town of Middletown, Title III Administration, Chapter 34 Taxes, Section 34.40, Property Exemption Defined. (Tax Exemptions for Blind Persons)
18. (Continued from the May 29, 2024, Special Meeting)
Resolution of the Council, re: Tax Levy.
19. (Continued from the May 29, 2024, Special Meeting)
Resolution of the Council, re: Tax rate split between classifications (Commercial real estate, Residential real estate, and Personal Property tax).
20. Resolution of the Council, re: Authorizing submission of Charter change questions for the November 5, 2024, General Election.
21. Communication of Councillor Turano, re: Requesting to discuss reassessment results and have the Tax Assessor present his findings in reference to the percent increase in taxes in Middletown. I would like to know the number of properties whose taxes are going up and the number of properties that are going down. I would also like to know the number of properties whose taxes are going up over 50% based on the two-tier tax rate that is being proposed.
22. Communication of Councillor Turano, re: Requesting to discuss the Middletown Clean program and how it’s being implemented and tied to the Governors “Keep Little Rhody Litter Free” campaign.
23. Memorandum of Finance Director, thru Town Administrator, re: Janitorial & Maintenance Services One Year Extension.
24. Resolution of the Council, re: Janitorial & Maintenance Services One Year Extension.
25. Memorandum of Town Clerk, re: Town Council liaison to the Affordable Housing Committee.
Wendy J.W. Marshall, MMC
Town Clerk
This meeting location is accessible to the handicapped. Individuals requiring interpreter services for the hearing-impaired should notify the Town Clerk’s Office at 847-0009 not less than 48 hours before this meeting.
Posted on June 12, 2024, at Middletown Town Hall, Middletown Public Library and Secretary of State Web Site.