WEST WARWICK TOWN COUNCIL

TOWN OF WEST WARWICK

1170 MAIN STREET

WEST WARWICK, RI  02893-4829

401.822.9201

 

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

                                                        

MINUTES-AMENDED

 

A.         Meeting called to order

 

The meeting was called to order by Town Council President Gosselin at 8:45 p.m.

 

B.         Roll Call:

 

Members Present:

Councilman Licciardi     

Councilman Messier

Councilwoman Williamson

Council VP D’Amico

Council President Gosselin

 

Members Absent: None

 

C.         Quorum on Record Declared by Town Clerk

 

The Town Council Clerk declared a quorum for the record.

 

D.         Others Present:

Town Manager Ernest Zmyslinski, Town Solicitor Tim Williamson. Finance Director Kristen Benoit

 

E.         Presentation by STAAND

 

Kimberly Main and members of Students Taking Action Against Destructive Decisions (STAAND) gave an overview of how this program has progressed in the last year.

 

F.         Discussion/Action/Vote of Town Council.

Any matter on this portion of the agenda may be acted upon by way of topic discussion and action by the Town Council with a vote on the record to approve, amend, deny or table the agenda item.

 

Discussion regarding actions and planning pertaining to addressing COVID-19 Virus and the impact on town operations.

 

Town Manager Zmyslinski reported that the Town had formed a group of directors to develop the re-opening plan for Town Hall to insure that proper social distancing and sanitizing are observed throughout the Town Hall, as required by the Department of Health. Governor Raimondo has restricted some activities that were previously approved. The Town Hall is still working on preparing for re-opening.

 

Councilman Licciardi made a motion to close the Executive Session of the August 18, 2020 Sewer Commission Executive Session, seconded by Vice President D’Amico.

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

The vote was unanimous.

 

G.        Certification of the FY21 adopted Town Budget in the amount of $101,751,513.

 

Councilwoman Williamson moved the item, seconded by Councilman D’Amico.

 

Roll Call Vote:

Councilman Licciardi                  No

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The motion passed.

 

H.         Financial update of expenses and revenues for period ending June 30, 2020.

 

Finance Director Benoit was unavailable and will report on September 1, 2020. Town Manager Zmyslinski gave a brief overview including that the Town has ended FY20 with a positive balance.

 

I.          MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING–

Approval of minutes of July 7, 2020 (previously tabled), July 14, 2020 FTM, July 21, 2020 and August 11, 2020 Town Council Meetings.

 

Councilwoman Williamson moved the item, seconded by Councilman D’Amico.

 

Councilwoman Williamson made a motion to table the item, seconded by Councilwoman Williamson. The vote was unanimous.

 

 

J.         CONSENT AGENDAS - License Applications:      

 

1.      (New) Business License: Torgeir Bjorgvinson dba Thor’s Pressure & Soft Wash,

42 Pawtuxet Terrace

2.      (New) Business License: Jacob Lima dba Barbers & Beards, 8 Highland Street

3.      (New) Business License: Keaton Nelson dba Perpetual Motion Marketing, LLC, 1227 Main Street

4.      (New) Liquor license transfer: Bright Star LLC dba Cowesett Pizza, 306 Cowesett Avenue #2

5.      (Renewal) Business License: Balise Subaru Inc, 561 Quaker Lane

6.      (Renewal) Business License: Balise Volkswagon, 525 Quaker Lane

7.      (Renewal) Business License: Boyer Associates, 1071 Main Street

8.      (Renewal) Business License: Custom Systems LLC dba AAA Alarms & Fire Protection,

798 Providence Street

9.      (Renewal) Business License: Miller Electric Corp, 18 Longbow Drive

10.   (Renewal) Business License: Metropolitan Haircutters Inc., 1060 Main Street

11.   (Renewal) Laundry License: Thorpes Laundromat and Dry Cleaners, 560 Providence Street

12.   (Renewal) Private Detective License: Deborah Anne Seastrom, 70 Potter Avenue

 

Councilman Licciardi moved the item, seconded by Councilwoman Williamson.

 

Roll Call Vote:

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

K.         Resolution requesting that the Town Council approve the purchase of three (3) mobile police VHF radios

from Motorola Solutions for a total expenditure of $9,293.16.

 

Council Vice President D‘Amico moved the item, seconded by Councilman Williamson.

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

L.         Resolution requesting that the Town Council approve the police department utilizing State owned land

adjacent to 2 Legion Way and the Washington Secondary Bike Path.

 

Council Vice President D‘Amico moved the item, seconded by Councilman Williamson.

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

M.        Resolution requesting that the Town Council approve the purchase of a Universal Forensic Extraction Device

through sole source provider Cellbrite for $17,085.00 to be funded through the Police Capital Reverse account.

 

Council Vice President D‘Amico moved the item, seconded by Councilman Williamson.

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

N.         Resolution of the Town Council authorizing the use of the firm of James J. Geremia & Associates, Inc., of Providence,

Rhode Island to provide engineering services to the Town of West Warwick.

 

Council Vice President D‘Amico moved the item, seconded by Councilman Williamson.

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

O.        Claims

 

The Town Council hereby approves or denies the following pothole claims:

 

Councilman Williamson moved the item, seconded by Council Vice President D‘Amico.

 

1.   Francis St. Germain: In the amount of $1,427.88

 

Councilman Williamson made a motion to approve the item in the amount of $300.00, seconded by Council Vice President D‘Amico.

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous. The claim was approved in the amount of $300.00 which is the maximum payment for pot hole claims.

 

2.   Clarence E. Brown: In the amount of $120.00

 

Councilman Williamson made a motion to deny this claim based on the fact that it happened on private property, seconded by Councilman Licciardi

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous. The claim was denied

 

P.         UPCOMING APPOINTMENTS:

 

      1.  Sewer Use Tax Board of Review: one (1) vacancy with terms to expire in 2024

      2.  Pension Committee: three (3) vacancies with terms to expire in 2022, 2023 and 2024

      3.  Zoning Board of Review: two (2) vacancies with terms to expire in 2025    

      4.  Pawtuxet River Authority: one (1) vacancy with a term to expire 2023

 

Q.        DISCUSSION/ACTION:

 

1.   Discussion and ratification of Executive Order 2020-10 of the Town Manager, amending Executive Order 2020-1, a Declaration of a State of Emergency dated August 14, 2020, to extend the State of Emergency in the Town of West Warwick until September 15, 2020 (Sponsored by Town Manager Zmyslinski).

 

Town Manager Zmyslinski explained that a continuation of the Executive Order will run until Tuesday, September 15, 2020 and, more than likely, will be renewed for another month after this, which will give the Town time to respond to any COVID related issues.

 

Roll Call Vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi                  Yes

Councilman Messier                  Yes

Councilwoman Williamson         Yes 

Council VP D'Amico                  Yes

Council Pres Gosselin                Yes      

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

1.      Discussion regarding the Health Equity Zone securing funding for a wash station at Riverpoint Park (Sponsored by Councilman Messier).

 

 

No action taken.

 

R.         PUBLIC COMMENT:

 

Designated portion of Town Council’s open meeting for Citizens to address comments to the Town Council relating to matters affecting the public business. (RIGL 42-46-2 (3) and RIGL 42-46-2 (6)).

 

Comments will only be addressed to the Town Council who will take them under advisement.

 

When addressing the Town Council, please state your name and address; please conduct yourself in an orderly and respectful fashion. The comments of citizens accessing this portion of our meeting are neither adopted nor endorsed by this body but heard as requested.

 

Members of the Town Council, being the duly elected public body as identified in RIGL 42-46-2 (3) have no obligation to respond to the Public’s Comments.

 

Council President Gosselin requested that an Executive Session be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 6 p.m.  This session will be held in Town Council Chambers. A meeting will be called on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 for license approvals at 6 p.m.   

 

Councilman Licciardi informed that Church Street was being repaved and asked people to use another route for the next few weeks.

 

Derek Read asked who approves the agenda and was informed that the town has a new agenda management company. Mr. Read asked when Tim Williamson and Al DiFiore’s contract will go out to bid as independent contractors need to go out to bid. He also requested the name of the landscape architects and engineer for the playgrounds.

 

W.        ADJOURN   

 

Councilman Messier made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Councilwoman Williamson. The vote was unanimous.

 

The meeting adjourned at 10:14 p.m.

 

 

A TRUE COPY ATTEST

 

Marianne Kelly

______________________________

MARIANNE KELLY, CMC

TOWN COUNCIL CLERK