AGENDA ITEM #1: Call to Order

AGENDA ITEM #2: EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RI GENERAL LAWS 

·        Discuss Executive Session Minutes from January 5, 2026, for placement on the Council agenda to “receive”

·        Discuss and Act Pursuant to 42-46-5(a)(3) (School Safety)

·        Discuss and Act Pursuant to 42-46-5 (a) Collective Bargaining:

o   (MOU & 2 MOA’S) International Brotherhood of Police Officers, IBPO, Local 351

o   (MOU) International Brotherhood of Police Officers (Dispatch), IBPO Local 555

o   (MOU) International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, Local 1774

o   (MOU) United Steelworkers, Public Works , AFL-CIO-CLC, Local 14845

·        Adjourn Executive Session

·        Reconvene into Open Session

·        Motion(s) and Motion to Seal Minutes of Executive Session

AGENDA ITEM #3: Pledge of Allegiance

AGENDA ITEM #4: Land Acknowledgement

AGENDA ITEM #17: Discuss and Act: Interviews and Appointments:  

·       Board of Canvassers: 1 vacancy: Alternate/ Republican, term expiration of March 31, 2031. Interview: Heather Ryan

TM Comment: State statute § 17-8-1. Appointment of bipartisan authority (under Title 17 – Elections, Chapter 8 – Local Canvassing Authorities) states that “the mayor or the president of the town council shall nominate the members of the canvassing authority from lists of party voters submitted by the respective chairpersons of the city or town political committee, which lists shall contain the names of five (5) times the number of persons to be appointed. If the legislative body refuses to approve the nomination of any person to the canvassing authority, the mayor or the president shall submit to the legislative body another person named on one of the lists, and so on until a person is appointed. If the chairperson of the city or town committee of a political party entitled to an appointment fails or refuses to submit a list, the mayor or the president shall nominate any party voter of the political party entitled to the appointment.”

The five names provided by Barrington Republican Town Committee are: Heather Ryan, Jarrod Ryan, Janine Wolf, Matt Fletcher and Joe Merrill.

AGENDA ITEM #18. Presentation, Discuss and Act: Bids

Public Works:

AGENDA ITEM #19: Discuss: Comprehensive Plan Update and Progress on Affordable Housing

TM Comment: Planning, Building and Resilience Director Herb Durfee will provide an update on the development of the Barrington 2050 Comprehensive Plan and on the Town’s progress toward meeting the State’s 10 percent affordable housing goal.

Motion: No motion provided.

AGENDA ITEM #20: Discuss and Act: Resolution(s)

AGENDA ITEM #21: Discuss and Act: Recommendation Regarding Easement for i3 broadband cabinet near Recycling Center

TM Comment: i3 Broadband is proposing installing a telecommunications cabinet within a landscaped area near the entry gate of the Recycling Center on Upland Way (see the star symbol on the aerial image below) related to its plans to install fiber to serve customers within Barrington. The motion would authorize the Town to negotiate the terms and execute an easement agreement for placing the cabinet on Town property, covering an area of about 100 square feet. We have had discussions with i3 Broadband about the easement terms, including financial considerations such as providing free business fiber internet for one or more Town buildings.

Motion: To authorize the Town to negotiate the terms and execute an easement agreement with i3 Broadband for installing and maintaining a telecommunications cabinet on Town property.

AGENDA ITEM #22: Discuss and Act: Sidewalk Snow Removal Working Group

TM Comment: The two significant snowstorms this winter, including the recent record-breaking blizzard, have been incredibly challenging for the Town in clearing an enormous amount of snowfall from 97 miles of local roads and from parking lots and walkways at municipal facilities and public schools, removing large piles of snow from street corners of large piles of snow, and clearing sidewalks in areas where Town properties border the street right of way. DPW has done an incredible job handling these winter storms, requiring many long hours working through the night and day to enable the community to travel safely.

The Town, like many other communities, has an ordinance in place requiring the removal of snow from sidewalks bordering on their property. Barrington’s ordinance has a fine of $50 for noncompliance, with an optional warning for a first offense. The Police Department, which is in charge of enforcement, will visit properties where the snow has not been removed within the timeframe required by the ordinance. We haven’t issued any tickets for violations. Compliance, I believe, has been better, but there are still sidewalks that haven’t been cleared since the blizzard came through two weeks ago.

Snow on sidewalks is a significant safety concern. There clearly is room for improvement in how we tackle this problem. We are forming an administrative working group to evaluate our ordinances, research best practices and identify equipment that Public Works could use to remove snow from sidewalks beyond snowblowers and shovels. I think it’s important to have one or two Council members participate in the Working Group, which will include representatives from DPW, Police, Fire and Planning.

Motion: To designate ________ and __________ to participate in the Town’s working group evaluating the Town’s ordinance on snow removal from sidewalks based on best practices and equipment options for Public Works.

AGENDA ITEM #23: Discuss and Act: Ordinances  

·       INTRODUCTION(S):  Ordinance # 2026-2: An Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 144, Use of Public Lands - §144-3.1 Use of Town Hall for All-Day Town Referendum

AGENDA ITEM #24: General Public Comment (Maximum one statement per speaker of up to three minutes in length): 

To the public: This agenda item is for members of the public to speak regarding a topic that is not already on the agenda.  Please indicate that you would like to speak by raising your hand. When you are recognized, please state your name and residence for the record.

AGENDA ITEM #25: Set Agenda: for the next meeting of the Council: Monday, April 6, 2026, at 6:30pm, in Council Chamber 

a.      Public Works Department’s Provision of Services for Schools 

b.     Proposal to add Lot 3A on George Street to the Nockum Hill Management Area and to place a conservation easement on Lot 3A 

c.      Veterans Benefits 

d.     2025 Audit Report 

e.      Bids: Recreation- Kayak Vendor at Walker Farm 

f.      Proposed Native Planting Ordinance (Open Space Committee) 

AGENDA ITEM #26: Adjourn Town Council Meeting

BARRINGTON TOWN COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE

ADOPTED OCTOBER 7, 2013

...

RULE 9    SPEAKING BY THE PUBLIC

A.    REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETINGS –

1.     PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION -   Members of the public shall be entitled to speak for a period of up to three minutes regarding a topic this is NOT already on the agenda.  Anyone wishing to speak shall raise his or her hand, and when recognized by the President, shall approach the microphone.  All members of the public addressing the Town Council shall identify themselves, at the microphone, by stating their name and address for the record.  Pursuant to RIGL §42-46-6(b), public comment regarding subject matters not on the agenda but received during the public participation portion of a meeting shall be for informational purposed 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.

2.     SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS - Members of the public shall be entitled to speak , once, for a period of up to three minutes, and at other times when invited to do so by the President.  The public may speak only after members of the Council have had an ability to be heard.  The public shall address their comments to the question under debate as indicated on the agenda.  Comments that are not germane to the question under debate shall be ruled out of order by the President.  All members of the public addressing the Town Council shall identify themselves, at the microphone, by stating their name and address for the record.