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WARREN TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
The Town Council of the Town of Warren, State of Rhode Island in Bristol County met on Thursday, the 2nd day of July 2020 the meeting was called to order at 5:30 PM.
Present: Council President Keri M. Cronin, Councilman Joseph DePasquale, Councilman Steven Calenda and Councilman P. Brandt Heckert.
Absent : Vice President John W. Hanley
The Meeting was live streamed on YouTube https://zoom.us/j/97538486028?pwd=alhzY1R3Sk1GOEY4NURvNS9XL3dzQT09
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: 
Led by Town Council President Keri Cronin
Motion by Councilman Calenda, seconded by Councilman Heckert to move NB-2 ahead of NB-1. Motion passed unanimously.
NB-2
Discussion and action regarding request for usage of Burr’s Hill Park
From: Sherry Winn (Just Dance)
35 Asylum Road
Warren, RI 02885
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2020 – Rain Date August 22, 2020
Time: 8:00am-6:00pm (performance starting at 10:00am) Dance Recital Celebration
President Cronin stated that M.s Winn has requested to use Bur’s Hill Park for their dance program for the dates that have changed to August 23, 2020 -Rain Date August 29, 2020.
On approval the petitioner will request an Entertainment, additional barrels, detail police and other necessary approvals at the July 14, 2020 Town Council Meeting.
Motion by Councilman Calenda, seconded by Councilman Heckert to approve request for usage of Burr’s Hill Park to Sherry Winn for the dance recital celebration. Motion passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
NB-1
Discussion and action regarding raising the Black Lives Matter Flag.
Camille Nixon asked the Town Council in an email to consider raising a Black Lives Matter flag alongside our other flags in solidarity with other towns supporting Black Lives.
Councilman DePasquale spoke briefly on a quote from Martin Luther Kings letter from the Birmingham Jail. He states he is not going to sit back and do nothing and that’s why he is in favor of this.
Councilman Heckert states he supports Black lives matter movement and needs to be supportive.
Councilman Calenda states he supports raising the flag and has a couple of questions.
How long are we going to raise the Flag?
Where are we going to raise the Flag?
And, are we removing a flag so this one can take its place?
He states he does have a suggestion, that maybe we should have some kind of a policy or as a Council or a Town but having an area where if another organization comes forth and ask if they can fly their Flag.
He states he would not support to remove a flag to put this one in its place. What we have right now stays in place.
President Cronin states she absolutely agrees with the Council on a policy or a process for showing support.
Opposition
Mrs. Cronin I am a resident of your beautiful town I pay my taxes, water bill, try my hardest to keep my yard up with a 140 Adopted Cane Corso Mastiff! Lol My point of this message to you is Please don’t be a follower! If you have looked into the BLM organization like I have you would see that this flag does NOT deserve to be flying with our American flag. Our flag represents our country, our veterans and so much more.
The head of the BLM organization was on Fox News the other night saying his organization will burn down anything that gets in their way! Even if it’s the whole country. That flag is very political and there is a lot behind it. There is Democratic Party funding and more. I feel as a beautiful small diverse town we should stay as is
Thank you for your time
Molly Rounds
11 Westminister Street
Warren RI 02885
Members of the Warren Town Council:
As the Black Lives Matter Movement grows its influence, it has rightly drawn our attention to a number of injustices. All can appreciate the Movement’s lofty goals. What remains to be seen is the evolution and implementation of policies to reach such goals. While this shakes out, I am against the Town of Warren’s display of the BLM flag. Let me explain.
Consider the lineage of BLM, starting with the Vietnam war of the late 60’s and early 70’s. The SDS, Students for a Democratic Society sprang up as a major voice in opposition to the war. From the SDS, another, more militant group, split off. This was the Weather Underground Organization, inspired by communist ideologies and ultimately named a domestic terror organization by the FBI.
SDS brought us occupation of college administration buildings, protests against the war and the draft and riots during the 1968 DNC convention in Chicago. The Weather Underground brought us dozens of bombings, including those of the US Capital Building, the Pentagon, the U.S. State Department , the NYC Police Station. Let’s focus on one member of Weather Underground, Eric Mann. Involved with a conspiracy to commit murder, assault with the intent to commit murder, promoting anarchy and threatening, Mann was sentenced to two years in prison.
Why focus on Eric Mann? Because more recently, Eric Mann trained co-founders of BLM in organizing and Marxist ideology.
So, SDS brought us protest and riot and then fizzled. Weather Underground brought us bombings and murder and then fizzled. When asked what ideology would prevent BLM from fizzling, a co-founder, Patrisse Cullors, stated that “[…] we actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia in particular are trained organizers. We are trained Marxists. We are super-versed on, sort of, ideological theories. And I think that what we really tried to do is build a movement that could be utilized by many, many black folks. […]”
Unlike its predecessors, SDS and Weather Underground, we have yet to see what the BLM movement will bring us. Looking at examples of their chosen ideology, China, Cuba and the Soviet Union, I find it hard to believe that BLM can be satisfied as a movement within the fabric of the United States of America. As a college student, I was opposed to the SDS. As a law abiding American, I was opposed to the Weather Underground. With Patrisse Cullors saying that President Trump must leave office before the election, I fear BLM is Anti-American. Within the American system, Patrisse may vote against him in November and persuade others to join her. This is not her approach.
Until this plays out, I am steadfastly opposed to the Town of Warren flying the flag of BLM. The Town recently resolved that this is a time to “listen and learn” – to that I can agree. Let’s take time to listen and learn before we decide to fly the flag of BLM.
Regards,
Daniel B. Bentley
817 Main Street
Warren, RI 02885
Proposed
Hi,
I agree that the BLM flag should be raised in Warren.
Charles Morin
10 Strawberry Lane
Warren, RI 02885
Camille Nixon 70 Bradford Street, Warren RI phoned in and stated that she thinks they should raise the BLM flag under the American Flag, and it can be smaller because black lives matter. She states she would be happy to pay for the flag. She also proposed that the flag stay raised until the end of the year and every February in honor of Black History Month.
Councilman DePasquale stated that National etiquette on the United States Flag, nothing can fly on that staff other than the POW Flag, that is not an option.
Dyshell Palmer of 29 Arlington Avenue states the Town of Warren should follow suit like Bristol did. She feels it’s a very powerful statement and supports the flag going up.
To: Warren Town Council
We the undersigned support the raising of the Black Lives Matter flag at Warren Town Hall. In the 18th and 19th century, Warren and its residents profited from the Transatlantic slave trade. Slave voyages on Warren ships caused the death or enslavement of at least 2,900 African men, women and children. Africans and African American people were also enslaved in homes, farms and businesses throughout Town. We support this resolution in the memory of those who died and those who were enslaved, including the thirty we know by name:
HADLEY BARTON,PRIVATE HAMPTON BARTON, HOLLON PHILLIS DAMON BURR
BACCUS CHILD BRIGET DINAH PHILLIS PRIVATE PRINCE CHILD
PRIVATE CAESAR COLE DELIVERANCE ISAAC PRIVATE BRISTOL LUTHER
VIOLET JENNISON CAESAR LYNDON CAESAR LYNDON JR SARAH LYNDON
LEWIS MANNING CUFF JACK LEWSEE PEG COGGESHALL PRINCE VIOLET
PRIVATE WARREN MASON PRIVATE BRISTOL MILLER DICK FLORA PRINCE
Mark Dobbyn 22 Liberty Street Warren, RI 02885 stated he is in favor of the BLM flag and it sends a good message.
Peri DeLorenzo 22 Liberty Street, Warren, RI 02885 stated that she is also in favor of the BLM flag
Motion by Councilman Calenda, seconded by Councilman Heckert to raise the BLM flag at the earliest possible convenience with it being discussed further for the time frame during the July 14, 2020 Town Council Meeting. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Councilman Calenda, seconded by Councilman Heckert to adjourn. Motion passed unanimously.
Attest:
Sandrea J. Speroni, CMC
Deputy Town Clerk