POSTED – FEBRUARY 11, 2026
REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 17, 2026
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 Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 5:00 P.M. Executive Session, Planning Board Interview Immediately Following 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. Virtual access will also be provided by telephone conference call/ webinar and 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: 856 9542 2625 or on the web at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85695422625 ; however, virtual access is being provided only as a convenience and is not an official "location" where access to the meeting is guaranteed. Being physically present at the meeting is the only way to guarantee complete access to the meeting, as the meeting will not be paused or rescheduled if the virtual access fails.
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), (2) Collective Bargaining (IAFF), (2) Litigation (NC-2025-0194 – Tax Appeal), (5) Land Acquisition (West Main Road). (5) Lease (Newport Vineyards) and (5) Land Acquisition.
2. Planning Board Interview – Matthew Skirzenski
Planning Board Interview Questions:
1. Why do you want to be on the Planning Board?
2. What experience do you have that would qualify you to be a member of the Planning Board?
3. What useful knowledge or perspective from your own personal experience would you bring to the position?
4. What do you think is the most important responsibility of a Planning Board member?
5. What would you like Middletown to look like 5 years from now?
6. What do you believe is Middletown’s most important land use issue and how should it be addressed?
7. What ideas or suggestions do you have regarding economic development in Middletown?
8. Regular Planning Board meetings typically take place the 2nd Wednesday of each month, starting at 6 P.M., and Special meetings are called on an as needed basis. Are you available to attend them?
3. Appointment of one (1) member to the Economic Development Advisory Committee, term expiring January 2031.
4. Appointment of two (2) members to the Planning Board, terms expiring February 2029.
5. Appointment of one (1) member to the Tax Exploration Committee, indefinite term.
6. Communication of Justin Bernard, re: Middletown Public Schools, Recommendation for Approval of Amendment-Prime Consulting Materials Testing and Special Inspections ($145,870.00).
7. Resolution of the Council, re: Approval to award change order number one in the amount of one hundred forty-five thousand eight hundred seventy dollars and zero cents ($145,870.00) for additional materials testing and special inspection services, to Prime Consulting, Inc, funding for
8. Communication of Justin Bernard, re: Middletown Public Schools, Recommendation for Approval of Supplemental Services HMFH Architects ($530,705).
9. Resolution of the Council, re: Approval to award change order number eight in the amount of five hundred thirty thousand seven hundred five dollars and zero cents ($530,705.00) for supplemental services for Forest Avenue Elementary School, to HMFH/DBVW Architects, funding for
10. 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.
11. Approval of Minutes, re: Regular Meeting, February 2, 2026.
12. Memorandum of Finance Director, thru Town Administrator, re: School Department Surplus-Facilities Wood Shop Equipment.
13. Resolution of the Council, re: School Department Surplus-Facilities Wood Shop Equipment and the surplus vehicles be salvaged by the Finance Director.
14. Application from Middletown Senior Citizens Center, 650 Green End Avenue, for RENEWAL of a Bingo license for the 2026-2027 licensing year – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. (Fee to be waived)
15. Application for Special Event Permit from Aquidneck Community Table for the Aquidneck Community Table Saturday Farmers Market to be held at the Newport County YMCA, 792 Valley Road, beginning Saturday, May 23, 2026, through Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, includes a request to waive permit fee.
16. Application for Special Event Permit from the Newport County YMCA for the 4th Annual Charlie Holder, Sr., Memorial 5K Road Race Walk/Run and a 10K Road Race Walk/Run to be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 7:30 am to 10:45 am.
17. Application for Special Event Permit from Newport County YMCA for the Newport County YMCA’s 41st Annual Thanksgiving Day Pie Run– 5-mile run; 3-mile walk/run race beginning at Newport County YMCA to be held on Thursday, November 26, 2026, at 8:30 am.
18. Application of the Middletown Prevention Coalition for a Special Event Permit for Middletown Family Day, Fun Family Friendly Event designed to celebrate the importance of family engagement, a protective factor to be held at Second Beach on Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, rain date Sunday, September 13, 2026. (Applicants requests all fees to be waived)
19. Application for Special Event Permit from Quahaug Chapter Newport RI for the Camp-O-Rama, to be held at Second Beach beginning Wednesday, September 16, 2026 through Sunday, September 20, 2026.
20. Application of Middletown Donuts, LLC dba Dunkin Donuts, 811 West Main Road for Victualling House License for the 2025-2026 licensing year. (NEW)
21. Application of Destiny Donuts, LLC dba Dunkin Donuts, 159 East Main Road for Victualling House License for the 2025-2026 licensing year. (NEW)
22. Application of East Main Donuts, LLC dba Dunkin Donuts, 536 East Main Road for Victualling House License for the 2025-2026 licensing year. (NEW)
23. Communication of John Ceglarski, President, Middletown Athletic Boosters, re: Request for support for the 2026 MHS Senior Athletic Recognition Event.
24. At the request of Council President Rodrigues, Resolution of the Council, re: In Support of the Continued Operation of the Newport Hospital Birth Center and Rhode Island House Bill H7272.
25. At the request of Vice President Welch, Resolution of the Council, re: In Support of Rhode Island House Bill H7071 Relating to the Prohibition on the Sale of Invasive Plants.
26. Memorandum of Town Engineer thru Town Administrator, re: USDOT Build Grant Application.
27. Resolution of the Council, re: USDOT Build Grant Application for the planning and construction of stormwater and roadway improvements on Third Beach Road and Paradise Ave., including removal of open drainage swales on both roads; installation of stormwater treatment BMP’s under sidewalks and under roadways; installation of sidewalks; and repaving of all disturbed areas of roadways to accommodate new stormwater measures, and The Town Council hereby commits local funding of up to $1.375 million toward the total project cost and authorizes the Town Engineer and Planning Department to prepare and submit the above-referenced grant application.
28. Memorandum of Finance Director, re: Financial Report – Six Month Ended December 31, 2025.
29. Communication of Accounting Manager, re: FY2026 Quarterly Tax Collector’s Report as of 12/31/2025- Town of Middletown.
30. Memorandum of Town Administrator, re: Survey results from Boards, Committees & Commissions.
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 February 11, 2026 at Middletown Town Hall, Middletown Public Library and Secretary of State Web Site.