Town of Tiverton, Rhode Island
Town Council Meeting

NOTICE and AGENDA

Regular Meeting: Monday, June 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

Tiverton Town Hall

343 Highland Road

Tiverton, Rhode Island 02878

 

Notice: This meeting is IN PERSON only.

The meeting will also be viewable live at: www.youtube.com/user/TivertonVideos

Individuals requesting interpreter services for the hearing impaired must contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 343 Highland Road or call (401) 625-6704 at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting.

 

Pursuant to RIGL §42-46-6(b): “Nothing contained herein shall prevent a public body, other than a school committee, from adding additional items to the agenda by a 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.”

 

The public may send written comments by regular mail to the Town Clerk at 343 Highland Road, Tiverton, RI 02878, or place them in the grey drop box located outside Town Hall by noon on the day of the meeting.

 

Date Posted: June 4, 2026

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

3. ROLL CALL

President John G. Edwards V	Vice President David J. Paull	Deborah G. Janick
Denise M. deMedeiros	Craig R. Committo	David Perry
Michael S. Burk

 

4. CONSENT AGENDA

All items listed within the Consent Agenda are to be considered routine by 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 for separate consideration later on the agenda.

 

A. Approval of Town Council Minutes

        1. May 12, 2026 – Special Meeting (Councilors Edwards V and Janick abstain, absent)

 

B. Acknowledge Receipt of Minutes from Boards/Commissions/Committees

        1. Harbor Commission (1)
        2. Historical Cemeteries Commission (1)

        3. Zoning Board (1)

        4. Historic Preservation Advisory Board (1)

 

                C. Acknowledge Receipt of Reports         

                        1. Town Administrator – Departments’ Monthly Reports – May 2026
                        2. Town Administrator – Police and Fire Department Overtime Reports – May 2026

 

D. Acknowledge Receipt of Correspondence
        1. Letter from V.A. Lopes re: FLOCK Safety cameras

        2. Letter from Pat Schneider re: FLOCK Safety cameras

        3. Letter from Jay Miller re: FLOCK Safety cameras

        4. Letter from Chris Englert re: budget notes/suggestions

        5. Town of Hopkinton – Resolution Opposing H-7632 relating to Age-Appropriate Design Code

        6. Town of Hopkinton – Resolution Supporting S-2239 regarding Local Authority over Unfunded

             Education Mandates

        7. Town of South Kingstown – Resolution Supporting H-8030 Entitled an Act Relating to Towns and

             Cities – General Powers

        8. Town of Richmond – Resolution Opposing H-7676 and S-2612 Relating to State Affairs and

             Government – Open Meetings

 

E. DPW Director Silvia – Request approval of FY26 Budget Transfer:

 

 

F. Police Chief Costa – Requests approval of FY26 Budget Transfers:

 

 

5. PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING A COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM OR OTHER TOWN BUSINESS

 

6. PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 UNIFIED BUDGET ORDINANCE

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED UNIFIED BUDGET IN ACCORDANCE WITH

ARTICLE III, Section 301 (b)8 of the Tiverton Home Rule Charter

 

	Current 2025-2026	Proposed 2026-2027
Operations:
Capital – Education	$                             0	$                             0
Capital – Gen Government	$                             0	$                             0
Education	$            35,156,138	$            36,165,967
Debt Service	$              3,964,438	$              2,376,763
General Government	$              1,782,900	$              1,832,324
Finance Administration	$              6,777,241	$              7,701,409
Protect Person/Property	$              8,651,202	$              9,477,803
Grants/Health/Sanitation	$                 686,700	$                 742,100
Public Works	$              3,241,696	$              3,483,474
Associated Activities	$                 175,497	$                  182,309
Parks & Recreation	$                 180,037	$                  374,107
Total Operations	$           60,615,849	$            62,336,256
Revenue:
Local Property	$          43,597,766	$             44,890,339
Motor Vehicle taxes Abatements/Uncollectable	$            1,748,175 $                            0	$               1,772,849 $                               0
Non-Local Property (Education)	$            5,915,890	$               5,975,411
Federal/State/Other	$            9,354,018	$               9,697,657
Total Revenues	$          60,615,849	$             62,336,256

 

This is a proposed property tax increase of 1.5%.  It has been estimated that the proposed increase in property tax revenues will result in a property tax rate of $11.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation as compared to the Fiscal Year 2026 property tax rate of $11.33 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.  The maximum rate increase for FY2027 would have been $11.62 per $1,000 of valuation based on the maximum levy increase of 4% as allowed by law. 

 

The Proposed 2026-2027 Unified Budget is available online on the town’s website at www.tiverton.ri.gov and is also available for public inspection at the office of the Town Clerk during normal business hours.

 

7. PUBLIC HEARINGS (ADVERTISED) – Discussion and possible votes, subject to meeting all legal requirements

                A. Coastal Roasters/Lisa Machado - Requesting approval of sound variance for Singing Out Against
                     Hunger event at 1791 Main Road on August 16, 2026 from 9:00am – 1:00pm (SPE-159)

 

                B. Evelyn’s Drive In/Jane Bitto - Requesting approval of sound variance for Singing Out Against
                     Hunger event at 2335 Main Road on August 21, 2026 from 4:00pm – 9:00pm (SPE-162)

 

                C. Four Corners Merchant’s Association/Diana LeFrancois - Requesting approval of sound variance for
                     Four Corners Summer Celebration event at 17 Puncatest Road on August 7, 2026 from 4:00pm –
                     8:00pm, Rain date August 8, 2026 (SPE-163)

 

                D. Tiverton Land Trust/Aurora Goodland - Requesting approval of sound variance for A Country Day at
                     Pardon Gray event at 3460 Main Road on October 3, 2026 from 11:00am – 4:30pm, Rain date

                     October 4, 2026 (SPE-164)

 

                E. 5 Main Rd Inc. dba Fireworks, 43 Main Road– Requests approval of fireworks license, subject to

                     meeting all legal requirements (ANN-26-4)

 

8. APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS– Discussion and possible votes

                A. Acknowledgement of resignation:

                     1. James L. Spears, Jr. from the Open Space Commission, effective May 23, 2026

9. GENERAL BUSINESS

                A. Cemetery Commission Chair Sylvia - Discussion and possible vote to approve changes to the grave lot
                     refund policy regarding perpetual care funds and parking requirements

 

                B. Resident Christopher Englert – Discussion regarding Sovereign Youth Wealth Fund Introduction and

                     other town business – Budget DPW/Fire, Health, Fireworks, Water

 

                C. Fire Chief Ferreira – Discussion and possible vote to authorize application for Staffing for Adequate

                     Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant

 

                D. Fire Chief Ferreira – Discussion and possible vote to authorize application for Assistance to

                     Firefighters Grant (AFG)

 

                E. Fire Chief Ferreira – Discussion and possible vote on a therapy dog program for the Tiverton Fire

                    Department

 

                F. Councilor deMedeiros – Discussion and possible vote for the Town Council to formally request the

                     Stone Bridge Fire District Water Department attends the Planning Board Meeting on June 17, 2026

 

                G. Administrator Jones – Discussion and possible vote to approve allocation from Municipal Capital Fund

                     640 for Fire HVAC shortage

 

                H. Council President Edwards V – Discussion and possible vote to approve Resolution 2026-0019 in

                     Support of House Bill H8580 Relating to the North Tiverton Fire District

 

                I. Council President Edwards V – Discussion regarding Administrator evaluation process

 

                J. Discussion regarding Voter Information Guide for Proposed Charter Amendments

 

                K.  Administrator Jones - Discussion and possible vote to approve fiscal impact statement for Tax

                     Collector Toni-Lyn McGowan, effective 3/24/2026

 

10. EXECUTIVE SESSION

A. Administrator Jones – RIGL 42-46-5(a)(1) – Personnel - Job Performance Evaluation for Tax Collector

     Toni Lyn McGowan – Notice given

 

B. Solicitor Marcello – RIGL 42-46-5(a)(2) General Litigation updates

 

C. Solicitor Marcello – RIGL 42-46-5(a)(5) Any discussion related to the sale of public properties wherein

     advanced public information would be detrimental to the interest of the public

               

                D. Solicitor Marcello – R.I.G.L. 42-46-5(a)(2) Consideration of joining as an amicus along with Hopkinton,

                     Exeter, Bristol and South Kingstown in a case pending before the Rhode Island Supreme Court related

                     to the authority of municipalities to regulate Short Term Rental via local zoning brought by the City of

                     Newport.  City of Newport v. 6365 Fourth Avenue Corp.  SU-2025-0035-CA (N3-2023-0291A) and

                     SU-2025-0036-CA (N3-2023-0292A)

 

                E. Council President Edwards V – R.I.G.L. 42-46-5(a)(2) Potential litigation and request to join other

                     municipalities in challenging various recent changes in state law related to zoning, planning, and

                     housing as potentially violated of Home Rule Charters and local community comprehensive plans.

 

11. ADJOURNMENT