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New Shoreham Town Council
Town Hall, 16 Old Town Road
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
6:30 p.m.
Present: First Warden Keith Stover, Town Council members William McCombe, Tristan Payne and Margaret O’Neill. Also present were Town Manager Amy Land, and via Zoom, Town Solicitor James Callaghan. Town Clerk/Director of Administration Millicent Highet was present for the recording of minutes. Second Warden Nancy Dodge was absent.
First Warden Stover called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
1. Discuss and act on negotiations between RI Council 94 AFSCME, AFL-CIO Local 2855 New Shoreham Employee’s Association and Town of New Shoreham and New Shoreham School Committee. This item may be discussed in closed session pursuant to RI General Laws 42-46-5(a) (2) Sessions pertaining to collective bargaining or litigation, or work sessions pertaining to collective bargaining or litigation.
Mr. Payne moved to enter into closed session at 6:34 p.m. to Discuss and act on negotiations between RI Council 94 AFSCME, AFL-CIO Local 2855 New Shoreham Employee’s Association and Town of New Shoreham and New Shoreham School Committee. This item may be discussed in closed session pursuant to RI General Laws 42-46-5(a) (2) Sessions pertaining to collective bargaining or litigation, or work sessions pertaining to collective bargaining or litigation. Mr. McCombe seconded the motion and it carried.
Ayes: 3 (Stover, McCombe, Payne) Nays: 0 Absent: 2 (Dodge, O’Neill)
Mr. Payne moved to go out of closed session at 7:06 p.m. Mr. McCombe seconded the motion and it carried.
Ayes: 4 (Stover, McCombe, O’Neill, Payne) Nays: 0 Absent: 1 (Dodge)
Mr. Payne moved to seal the minutes of the closed session meeting. Mr. McCombe seconded the motion and it carried.
Ayes: 4 (Stover, McCombe, O’Neill, Payne) Nays: 0 Absent: 1 (Dodge)
Mr. Stover reported that no motions were made in closed session.
1. Public Comment
No public comment was presented.
2. Consent Agenda:
a. Approval of minutes: December 1, 2025; and December 3, 2025
b. Act to open closed session minutes: 1/29/2024; 2/1/2024; 3/20/2024; 4/3/2024; 4/24/2024; 5/1/2024; 5/22/2024; 6/20/2024; 8/21/2024; 8/27/2024; 9/3/2024; 10/25/2024; 11/4/2024; 11/18/2024; 3/26/2025; and 5/6/2025
c. Act on annual Board, Committee and Commission reappointments: BIELC rep.: Clair Comings; BIHS rep.: Laura Parsons; Building Committee for Public Safety Complex: Amy Land, Mike Shea, Chris Hobe, Paul Deane, William Rose, Mona Helterline, Arlene Tunney, Doug Michel, Keisha Brown; Coastal Resilience Committee: Judy Gray, Jean Louis Farges, Anne Salinas; Commission for Motor Vehicles for Hire: Sue Ann Shaw; Conservation Commission: Katie Cass, Amy Keeler; Emergency Mngt TF: Chris Hobe, Jordan Ryan, Amy Land, Dr. Robert Gianfrocco, Jeffery Wright, Laurie Anderson and Peter Gempp; Harbors Committee: William Koch, Patrick Evans, Charles Gustafson, Alternate Robert Littlefield; Historic District Commission: Willam Koch: Hodge Management Committee: Margaret O’Neill, Tristan Payne, Juvenile Hearing Review Board: Scott Comings; Library Board of Trustees: Shirlyne Gobern, Thomas Doyle, Carolyn Benjamin; New Shoreham Tourism Council: David Houseman, Julie Natalizia, Jennifer Huggins; North Light Commission: Mark Vaillancourt, Robert Gilpin, Jr.; Old Harbor Task Force: Patricia Doyle, Cynthia Pappas, Sean McGarry; Planning Board: Christoper Willi; Recreation Board: Shannon Morgan, Christopher Willi, Alternates: Colleen Ernst and Danielle Bates; School Building Committee: Tom Risom, Amy Land, Charles Weber, Melanie Reeves, Pamala Austen, John Martin, Lisa Robb, Bill Padien, Lionel Butterfield; Senior Advisory Committee: Betsey DeMaggio, Dorothy Graham, Deborah Martin and Judy Fucci; Shellfish Commission: Saide Flateman, Jonathan Berry; Auctioneer: Kimberley Gaffett; Bond Counsel: Ellen Corneau; Corder of Wood: Stanton Geer; CRMC representative: Keith Stover; Director of Public Welfare: Marguarite Donnelly; Field Driver: A Joseph Sprague; Harbor Master: Kate McConville; Packer of Fish: Jon Grant; Sextons: Michael Shea and Jaixson Hall; Care of Cemetery: Town Council; Fence Viewer and Sealer of Weights and Measures: Chris Blane; Special Probate Judge: Richard D'Addario; Town Solicitors: Nick Solitro and James Callaghan; Town Solicitor – Land Use: Kerin Browning; Washington County Rep. Keith Stover; Town Lobbyist: Mayforth Group; Transportation Safety Committee: Paul Deane, Marty Milner, Tracy Fredericks, Paul Filippi, Leone Leone, Keith Stover, Tristan Payne, John Leone, Judy Clark; Zoning Board Alternates: Cori Black and Mark Maguire
d. Receive Correspondence:
i. Notice of Violation from TNS Zoning Official regarding Plat 6, Lot 158 & 159 T&C Holding, LLC and Ballard’s Wharf Realty, LLC for installation of gazabos without HDC Certificate of Appropriateness; not a permitted use in the Coastal Zone; and building without a Building Permit
Mr. Stover made a motion to approve the consent agenda with one change, appointing Greta Heinz to the Emergency Management Task Force in place of Jordan Ryan. Mr. Payne seconded the motion and it carried.
Ayes: 4 (Stover, McCombe, O’Neill, Payne) Nays: 0 Absent: 1 (Dodge)
3. Discuss and act on Board, Commission and Committees:
a. Appoint member to the Coastal Resilience Committee with term expiring 12/2027
Ms. O’Neill moved to appoint Sarah Bacon to the Coastal Resilience Committee with term expiring 12/2027. Mr. Payne seconded the motion and it carried.
Ayes: 4 (Stover, McCombe, O’Neill, Payne) Nays: 0 Absent: 1 (Dodge)
b. Announce vacancies:
i. Board of Assessment Review – Democrat (term exp. 12/2028)
ii. Board of Tax Assessors (term exp. 12/2026)
iii. Commission on Motor Vehicles for Hire: One (not MVFH licensee) (term exp. 12/2026)
iv. Historic District Commission (term exp. 12/2027)
v. Local 250 Committee (term exp. 12/2026)
vi. New Shoreham Tourism Council (term exp. 12/2027)
vii. Old Harbor Task Force (term exp. 12/2027)
viii. Planning Board (term exp. 12/2030)
ix. Police Advisory Commission (term exp. 12/2026)
x. Senior Advisory Committee (term exp. 12/2026)
xi. Sewer District Commission (1-year term exp. 4/2026)
xii. Water District Commission (1-year term exp. 4/2026)
The vacancies were announced.
4. Discuss and act on recommendations from the mini-grant working group to award the 2025 – 2026 New Shoreham mini-grants
Human Services Director Allison Carley explained that 35 applications were received in the 2025 mini-grant solicitation amounting to $65,348. Available funding for the grants totals $34,988, with $19,000 coming from the Town and $15,988 coming from the William C. Young Family Foundation.
Will Young and the William C. Young Family Foundation were warmly thanked for their generosity.
Ms. Land presented the recommendations for awarding the 2026 mini-grants as follows:
| Name | Program | Age Reach |
| Steven Lighty | Songwriting Course | 18+ |
| Steven Lighty | Youth Songwriting | 14–18 |
| Paul Cunningham | Creative Writing Workshop | 18+ |
| Alexa Pucci, Megan Hennessy, Madison Carey | BI School Drama Club | Grades 1–12 |
| Elizabeth Doherty / Traveling Seamstress | Beginner Sewing / Community Sewing | All |
| Pam Austen & Deb Hart – Island Collaborative | Story Walk Books at Adrian’s Walk | Youth |
| Christin Scarcello-Miller – Vibrant Living | Meditation Classes | All |
| John Warfel | Ceramics Classes | All |
| Erin Groll – Community Art Studio | Open Art Studio | All |
| Jose Gallegos – Spar Point Farm | Baking Program | All |
| Dave Chatowsky | Art for All Levels | All |
| Jayme Hennessy – Ukulele Society | Ukulele for All Lessons | All |
| Johanna Ross | Herbal Products Workshops | All |
| Block Island Gardeners | Gardening Programming | All |
| Peter Kinoy, Mary Lutz & Susana Gardner | Movie Making – Point of Contact | All |
| Josiah Messer | Poetry Workshop | All |
| Steve Miller – Spring Street Gallery | Music Jam | All |
| Eileen Miller & Sue Marte | Process Painting | All |
| Bill Sellar | Winter Concert Series | All |
| Bill Sellar | Sound Baths | All |
Ms. O’Neill moved to award the mini-grants as presented. Mr. Payne seconded the motion and it carried.
Ayes: 4 (Stover, McCombe, O’Neill, Payne) Nays: 0 Absent: 1 (Dodge)
5. Receive and act on Report of Town Manager (Public Works, Finance, School, School Construction Project, Library, Recreation, Administration, Harbors, Broadband, Police, Roads, Human Services)
Town Manager Land reported the following:
· Deputy Town Clerk Laurel Payne earned the prestigious designation of Certified Municipal Clerk from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.
· Town Clerk Millicent Highet completed the two-year Education Plus Program, earning the program’s inaugural Bronze Level Certificate. She is a charter member of this new initiative—created for Master Municipal Clerks committed to lifelong learning and professional service.
· Numerous organizations and community members have offered assistance for the holidays to provide support for families in need.
· Donovan Rosa graduates from the RI Police Academy this week and will begin with the Department next week.
· The RFP for concession services at the beach house has been issued and is due at the end of January.
· The elevator for the library has arrived, with installation scheduled for January.
· Constructive progress continues with the DOT, as they are making a commitment to State of Good Repair road improvements.
· An Alarm and Communications Officer Assistant position has been posted.
· New parking signs will be installed on May 15th on Ocean Avenue prohibiting parking between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
6. Raise items for future agendas
· New pumper truck storage location
Ms. O’Neill made a motion to adjourn at 7:37 p.m. Mr. Payne seconded the motion and it carried.
Ayes: 4 (Stover, McCombe, O’Neill, Payne) Nays: 0 Absent: 1 (Dodge)
Millicent Highet, MMC
Town Clerk
Date Approved: 01/05/2026