TOWN OF WEST WARWICK RHODE ISLAND 1170 Main Street West Warwick, RI  02893 (401) 822-9200 www.westwarwickri.org

 

TOWN OF WEST WARWICK

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2021

7:00 P.M.

MINUTES

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Topic: West Warwick Town Council Meeting

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A.         Meeting called to Order by the Town Council President

The meeting was called to order by Town Council President Gosselin at 7:14 p.m.

 

B.         Prayer led by Council Vice President D’Amico

Vice President D’Amico led the body in prayer

 

C.         Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilman Licciardi

 

Councilman Licciardi led the body in the Pledge of Allegiance Councilman Licciardi made a motion, to close the Executive Session under section 42-46-5 (a) (1) of

 

Rhode Island General Laws, that the Town Council close the Executive Session of The March 2, 2021 to discuss the job performance of the Waste Water Treatment Facility Superintendent after proper notice was sent to the Superintendent in care of his attorney. Seconded by Council Vice President D’Amico and approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi – Yes

 

Councilman Messier – Yes

 

Councilwoman Williamson – Yes

 

Council Vice President D’Amico – Yes

 

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

D.        Roll Call taken by Deputy Town Council Clerk

Members Present:

 

Councilman Licciardi

Councilman Messier

Councilwoman Williamson

Council Vice President D’Amico

Council President Gosselin

 

Others Present:

Town Solicitor Williamson

 

E.         Quorum on Record Declared by Deputy Town Council Clerk

 

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

 

The Acting Town Manager reported:

 

• Update on town employees: 1 DPW worker out on extended recovery, 1 Town Hall employee out on recovery, 1 Police employee out on a close contact quarantine expected back over the weekend, and 1 firefighter out on a close contact quarantine expected back in a few days.

 

• Town Hall operations up until yesterday was open on limited basis due to elections. Starting today the building is closed and open by appointments only.

 

• Next meeting there will be a report on expenses and funding. FEMA grant was released this week and what the town is entitled to.

 

Chief Varone reported:

 

•    The town has administered about 675 COVID vaccinations for 80 and older, In the process of calling the age group of 75 and under for the vaccinations. There is about 400 doses to administer. 200 coming this Thursday and 200 the following Tuesday.

 

•    The funding that the Acting Town Manager stated regarding the funding we are anticipating having 100% reimbursement for a lot of the expenses due to the COVID vaccination process as opposed to the 75% that we were getting with the Cares grant the FEMA portion. Councilwoman Williamson asked the question regarding overtime. Chief Varone replied yes it includes overtime and some of the infrastructure changes at the Civic Center, the Wi-Fi and other upgrades.

 

G.        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.

 

1. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS – Approval of minutes of the February 16, 2021 Town Council Meeting, and February 23, 2021 Executive Session.

 

Motion made by Council Vice President D’Amico seconded by Councilman Messier and approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi

Councilman Messier

Councilwoman Williamson

Council Vice President D’Amico

Council President Gosselin

 

2. CONSENT AGENDAS - License Applications:

 

a.   (New) Business License – Silva Brothers Warwick, Inc. dba Hannoush Jewelers – 325 Quaker Lane

b.   (New) Business License – Nicholas Schwab dba Common Cents Custom Fabricated – 10 Faxon Street

c.   (New) Business License – Rosanne Errante dba Crystal Rose Healing – 1454 Main Street Unit 36

d.   (New) Business License – Greg Reymondo dba Rhode Island Strength and Conditing LLC – 289 Cowesett Ave. Unit 4

e.   (New) Business License – Allstarr Action Sports, LLC – 3 Bridal Ave. Unit 1-5,3-5,4-5, & 4 A-5

f.    (New) Business License – Aron M. Miller dba 99 Bottles Media – 34 Grandview Drive

g.   (New) Business License – Paul Tang dba D.O.P.E Productions - 454 Main Street Unit 42

h.   (Renewal) Business License – Chen Sour dba Creative Nails LLC – 1209 Main Street

 

Motion made by Council Vice President D’Amico, seconded by Councilman Licciardi and approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi - Yes

Councilwoman Williamson - Yes

Council Vice President D’Amico - Yes

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

Let the record show that Councilman Messier recused himself from Consent Agendas – license Application.

 

3. Ordinance 2021-3 – ( first reading)(sponsored Councilman Messier) – An ordinance amending Chapter 11, Motor Vehicles and Traffic Section 34, Routes Where Trucks Prohibited & Appendix C of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of West Warwick.

 

Motion made by Council Vice President D’Amico, seconded by Councilman Messier and

 

approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi - Yes

Councilman Messier – Yes

Councilwoman Williamson - Yes

Council Vice President D’Amico - Yes

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

Sec. 11-34. Motor vehicle restricted routes.

Section 11-13. Motor vehicle restricted routes.

 

(a) The use of any commercial vehicle, herein defined as a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles to transport passengers or property, if the motor vehicle,

 

(l) (a) Has a combination gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more,

 

(b) a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more or

 

(c) a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more:

 

(2) Is designed to transport 21 or more passengers including the driver;

 

(3) Is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded in accordance with 49C.F.R. Part 172, Subpart F as it may be revised from time to time;

 

In and upon the following streets or highways, as the same shall from time to time be amended, at anytime, is prohibited and the chief of police is directed to cause conspicuous signs to be placed on such streets or highways giving notice of such prohibition:

 

CROSSEN ST. BETWEEN MAIN ST. AND BROOKSIDE AVE.

 

Provided however, that nothing contained herein shall affect the use of such streets or highways by any fire trucks, town public works department vehicles, police vehicles, emergency vehicles, school or public transportation buses or other vehicle using such streets or highways in any emergency or engaged in delivering goods, wares, merchandise or materials to or from any residence, building or lot within the town bordering on such streets or highways.

 

APPENDIX C

 

STREET NAME

 

CROSSEN ST. BETWEEN MAIN ST. AND BROOKSIDE AVE.

 

4. Ordinance 2021-4 (first reading) (sponsored by Councilwoman Williamson) - An ordinance amending Appendix C Traffic Ordinances of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of West Warwick.

 

APPENDIX C

 

TRAFFIC ORDINANCES

 

LOCATION	SIGN	DESCRIPTION
Lily Lane	Stop sign	Stop sign at the intersection of Lily Lane and Gilchrest Dr.

 

Motion made by Council Vice President D’Amico, seconded by Councilman Messier and approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi - Yes

Councilman Messier – Yes

Councilwoman Williamson - Yes

Council Vice President D’Amico - Yes

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

5. Ordinance 2021-5 – (first reading)(sponsored by Council President Gosselin) – An ordinance amending Chapter 16, Section 16-82 Naming Streets of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of West Warwick.

 

•    Motion made by Council Vice President D’Amico, seconded by Councilwoman Williamson and approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi - Yes

Councilman Messier – Yes

Councilwoman Williamson - Yes

Council Vice President D’Amico - Yes

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

6.         FINANCE REPORT & CAPITAL UPDATE

 

Finance Director, Kristen Benoit reported:

 

• Current year tax collections are trending ahead of budget after collecting three quarters. Prior tax collections are about 50%, Tax sale proceedings just started that will increase as we get closer to May. Revenues are trending slightly higher. The town received the 2.9 million dollars in coronavirus relief funds. The budget distress and motor vehicle as compared to the coronavirus relief funds is about a 1, 071,000 more than we budget for.

 

• Expenditures are trending under budget by 7.35%.

 

• Civic Center is trending with the surplus right now but projecting the Civic Center will break even by the end of the year.

 

• The surplus projecting for the year end of the General Fund mainly from the CRF funds. We are pending more and the vacancies being filled and work getting done the expenses are going up at a higher rate than before.

 

• Bank Balance as of 2/24/2021 was at $15,950,128.08

 

• Finance Director provided a summary of where the Capital reserves balance.

 

7.         DISCUSSION/ACTION

 

a. Consideration of the removal of the Interim title of Personnel Director Sherri-Ann Fournier –(sponsored by Interim Town Manager)

 

Acting Town Manager stated that Sherri joined the management team in November of 2020 and quickly made herself an extremely valuable member. She has proven to be extremely knowledgeable in matters related to human resources and labor board practices. Looking forward in working and strengthening the support for the employees in the areas of training and wellness and career development and working together and making a comprehensive and updated personnel manual and standard operating procedures. Acting Town Manager is requesting the Council to vote and remove the interim from her title.

 

Motion made by Councilwoman Williamson to remove interim from the Personnel director title, seconded by Council Vice President D’Amico and approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi - Yes

Councilman Messier – Yes

Councilwoman Williamson - Yes

Council Vice President D’Amico – Yes

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

b. Pawtuxet Valley Authority 2021 cleanup schedule and special needs fishing day - (sponsored by Councilman Licciardi)

 

Councilman Licciardi began by adding the Pawtuxet River Authority plays a big part keeping our Veterans Square and the Crompton Fishing Pier Clean. Once a year they do a full clean up. Councilman Licciardi will summit to the town the clean -up schedule for 2021 to be place on the town website.

 

Councilman Licciardi will like to have a special needs day and doesn’t want to call it that. Having a day where kids and adults can go and feel comfortable and going at their own pace. The Wild Cats in town which represents West Warwick for the special Olympics. Councilman Licciardi is going to reach out to Deb Contoys who guides the whole program. The special event will be held in the Fall.

 

8.         APPOINTMENT/REAPPOINTMENT - PAWTUXET RIVER AUTHORITY

 

a. Steven S. Brittsan

    41 Surrey Lane

Motion made Councilman Licciardi to move the name of Steven S. Brittsan seconded by Council Vice President D’Amico and approved by a voice vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi - Yes

Councilman Messier – Yes

Councilwoman Williamson - Yes

Council Vice President D’Amico – Yes

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

9.         APPOINTMENT TO TOWN CLERK

 

a. Sarah Rapose

 

Motion made by Council Vice president D’Amico to move the name of Sarah Rapose, seconded by Councilman Messier and approved by a roll call vote:

 

Councilman Licciardi - Yes

Councilman Messier – Yes

Councilwoman Williamson - Yes

Council Vice President D’Amico – Yes

Council President Gosselin - Yes

 

10.       UPCOMING APPOINTMENTS:

 

a. Sewer Use Board of Review: one (1) Alternate member vacancy with a term to expire on 10/2021, & (2) vacancy with a term to expire 10/2023

b. Pension Committee: three (3) vacancies with terms to expire in 2021, 2022 and 2023

c. Pawtuxet River Authority: one (1) vacancy with a term to expire 6/30/2023

d. Recreation Committee – one (1) vacancy

e. Tree Warden

f. Westbay Community action Board (West Warwick representative) – one (1) vacancy

g. Board of Assessment & Review – (1) term to expire 03/2021

 

11.       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 the 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.

 

• Acting Town Manager stated the he was planning on a code red regarding the fishing pier and also the Crompton Mill stack removal is scheduled for demolition next Wednesday starting at 8 a.m. and completed and remove by the end of the day on Friday.

 

• Council President Gosselin stated the Pro-Jo situation is getting work on. Today was election day for the State of Rhode Island and there were two local restaurants that donated lunch and dinner for the poll workers and the Town Clerk’s Office which lunch was Boomerangs and dinner was Bill’s Pizza and would like to thank both restaurants publicly for taking their time and donation to the town.

 

• Councilman Licciardi reported that the Easter Hunt Event is canceled due to COVID if everything goes well maybe the Easter Hut will take place in the Summer.

 

• Councilman Messier stated that the St. Patrick’s Day parade is also canceled due to COVID.

 

• Derek Read – 62 Andrews Ave. had a question for Chief Varone regarding Spring sports regarding games and practices. Chief Varone stated he can’t answer that right now we have to look at the State for guidance regarding sports and what the Department of Health comes out with.

 

• Derek Read stated a couple meetings back Mr. Lombardi had a report done regarding the Sewer Department and on the town website for public viewing is there a meeting schedule for Mr. Lombardo to go over the report for the tax payers. Council President Gosselin stated there will be meeting in the future.

 

• Derek Read also stated there was an election back in November and per Town Charter regarding Town Council positions are to be on the agenda for repositioning of council members and that has not been done.

 

Motion made by Councilman Messier, seconded by Council Vice President D’Amico and approved by voice vote.

 

12.       Adjourn at 8:13 p.m.