New Shoreham Town Council Meeting

Town Hall, 16 Old Town Road, Block Island

Monday, February 3, 2025

6:00 PM

 

Present: First Warden Keith Stover, Second Warden Nancy Dodge, Town Council members William McCombe, Tristan Payne, and Margaret O’Neill.  Also present were Interim Town Manager Amy Land, and via Zoom, Town Solicitor Nick Solitro. Deputy Town Clerk Keisha Phillips-Brown was present for the recording of minutes. 

 

First Warden Stover called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

 

Mr. Payne moved to go into closed session at 6:00 p.m. to discuss potential property purchase.  

This discussion may be held in executive session pursuant to RIGL 42-46-5(a)(5) Any discussions or considerations related to the acquisition or lease of real property for public purposes, or of the disposition of publicly held property wherein advanced public information would be detrimental to the interest of the public; Discuss and act negotiations between International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Local 720 (representing members of New Shoreham Police Department) and Town of New Shoreham. 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. The motion was seconded by Ms. Dodge and carried.

 

 

       Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe)                  Nays: 0

 

6:00 p.m.

1.       Discuss potential property purchase.  This discussion may be held in executive session pursuant to RIGL 42-46-5(a)(5) Any discussions or considerations related to the acquisition or lease of real property for public purposes, or of the disposition of publicly held property wherein advanced public information would be detrimental to the interest of the public

 

 

2.       Discuss and act negotiations between International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Local 720 (representing members of New Shoreham Police Department) and Town of New Shoreham. 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 go out of closed session at 7:03 p.m.  The motion was seconded by Ms. O’Neill and carried.

            Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

 

Mr. Stover reported that no motions were made in closed session.

 

Mr. Payne moved to seal the minutes of the closed session.  The motion was seconded by Ms. O’Neill and carried.

            Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

 

7:00 p.m.

3.       Public Comment

 

4.       Consent Agenda :

a.       Approval of Minutes: January 15, 2025 open and closed

b.       Announce execution of collective bargaining agreement between RI Council 94 AFSCME, AFL-CIO Local 2855 New Shoreham Employee’s Association and Town of New Shoreham and New Shoreham School Committee for July 1, 2024 Wage Reopener and 1 Year CBA Extension and associated Fiscal Impact Statement

c.       Authorize execution of NRCS Land Control Forms providing access to Great Salt Pond Oyster Co LLC and Catherine Puckett for Cormorant Cove Spawner Sanctuary Oyster Restoration Plots #2, #3 effective 12/31/24-12/31/31

d.       Correspondence:

                                                              i.      CRMC Public Notice – Town of New Shoreham application for expansion of existing stone revetment system up the slope to an elevation of 18 ft.

                                                            ii.      U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service re: Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm Act adopted 11/25/2024

                                                          iii.      ACLU Rhode Island: Urging municipalities to adopt an ordinance to limit activities solely for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws

                                                           iv.      RI Department of Environmental Management: Notice of Application for Freshwater Wetlands Permit for 1101 West Side Road (Plat 19, Lot 61)

Mr. Payne made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Ms. Oneill seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried.

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

Nancy Dodge requested that correspondence be removed from the consent agenda.

 

5.       Discuss and act on Board, Commission and Committees:

a.       Adoption of revised role: Alarm and Communications Officer replacing the Alarm Officer

b.       Appointments:

                                                     i.            Alarm and Communications Officer

Amy Land explained that the position of Alarm Officer has historically been appointed every year in December. There has been no clear definition of what the role of the Alarm Officer is.

 

She recommended that the position be updated and titled Alarm and Communication Officer, this role would encompass maintaining and operating both the radio and fire alarm systems owned by the Town.

 

She also made a recommendation to appoint Howell Conant, a long-time Volunteer, to the position.

 

Mr. Payne moved to create the position of Alarm and Communication officer and to appoint Howell Conant as the Alarm and Communication Officer.  The motion was seconded by Mr. McCombe. All were in favor and the motion carried.

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

 

                                                   ii.            Building Committee for Public Safety Complex: One member of the public (1 year term)

Mr. Payne moved to appoint Keisha Phillips-Brown to the Building Committee for the Public Safety Complex.  The motion was seconded by Ms. O’Neill. All were in favor and the motion carried.

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

 

                                                 iii.            Coastal Resilience Committee (term exp. 12/2025)

Ms. Oneill made a motion to appoint Jean Louis Farges to the coastal resilience committee, Mr. Stover Seconded. All were in favor and the motion carried.

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

                                                  iv.            Transportation Safety Committee : Police Chief or designee, Rescue Squad Captain or designee, moped license holders, license holders for rental cars and bicycles, two Council members, and representative of business community

Molly O’Neill made a motion to appoint Paul Fillipi, Leo Leone, Martin Milner, and Judy Clark to the Transportation Safety Committee. Tristan Payne seconded the motion.  All were in favor and the motion carried.

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

Nancy Dodge made a motion to appoint Tristan Payne and Keith Stover to the Transportation Safety Committee. Molly O’Neill seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried.

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

c.       Discuss and act on the salary stipend for the Board of Assessors

d.      Announce vacancies:

                                                     i.            Commission on Motor Vehicles for Hire: One (not MVFH licensee) (term exp. 12/2026)

                                                   ii.            Sewer District Commission: Two Alternate positions (1-year terms exp. 4/2025)

                                                 iii.            Water District Commission: Two Alternate positions (1-year terms exp. 4/2025)

                                                  iv.            Juvenile Hearing Review Board (term exp. 12/2026)

                                                    v.            Tree Warden (licensed arborist)

 

The vacancies were announced.

 

6.       Discuss and act on request of VVO Real Estate Holding, LLC for a six-month extension of a Special Temporary Permit under Section 112 of the Zoning Ordinance for the Harborside property, Plat 6, Lot 107 (originally issued August 21, 2024)

Tabled for the Town Council meeting of February 19th

 

7.       Discuss and act on request of the Harbors Committee to seek legislation to increase the landing fee

 

Pat Evans was present requesting increase of the landing fee; he stated that the fees have not been increased since the 80’s. Mr. Stover noted that there was going to be legislative discussion in the coming week and this will be on the agenda.

 

8.       Receive and act on recommended revisions to Management Plan for Town-owned Breed Land and Sachem Pond Refuge

Mike Shea reported that the mowing plan is on a 3-year rotation, he recommended that it be updated to every other year due to the rate at which the brush grows.

William McCombe made a motion to accept changes to the Management Plan for the Breed Land, Tristan Payne seconded motion. All were in favor and the motion carried.

 

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

 

9.       Discuss and act on request of Scenic Block Island re: Seeking the designation of Scenic Roadways for Block Island

 

Mike Shea reported that if the Town were to seek a Scenic Roadway designation, the Town would receive more aesthetically pleasing rail, road signs, sidewalks and the like.

 

Roberta McCormick representing Scenic Block Island stated that this application needs to be done with some sense of urgency, as roadwork is being planned.  She advised that RIDot will be replacing guard rails, and this will allow us to get more aesthetically pleasing guard rails.  Scenic Block Island is requesting that the town approves their request to begin their application for designation. The Planning Board has given them a letter of support.

 

Nancy Dodge stated that there is a fair amount of work, and questioned who would do this work, including noticing abutters. Amy Land advised that the Town would have a discussion with the Scenic Roadways Board to see if they have a process for sending out notices to an entire community, which would save some time.  

 

Mike Shea stated that the roadways are due for work to be done, and this designation would give the Town leeway to bargain for things that fit more into our character. Mike Shea explained the process of the application.

 

Amy Land stated that the council should make a motion to approve the preparation of application

 

Molly O’Neill made a motion to go forward with the preparation of the application, Tristan Payne seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried.

 

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

At 8:07 pm Tristan Payne made a motion to adjourn, the motion was seconded by Nancy Dodge. All were in favor and the motion carried.

 

Ayes: 5 (Stover, Dodge, Payne, O’Neill, McCombe) Nays: 0

 

Keisha Phillips-Brown

Deputy Town Clerk     

 

Date Approved: 2/19/2025