Minutes 2026-04-29

PORTSMOUTH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
APRIL 29, 2026 (Wednesday)

MINUTES

7:00 PM – Town Council Chambers, Portsmouth Town Hall, 2200 East Main Road
MEMBERS PRESENT: Sondra Blank, David M. Gleason, Keith E. Hamilton, Mary A.
McDowell, Sharlene Patton, Juan Carlos Payero, and David Reise
Time: 7:00 PM

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

SITTING AS THE PORTSMOUTH TOWN COUNCIL

1. Roll Call
NEW BUSINESS (Discussion/Action)
(Proposed Budget is Available on the Town’s Website or by using the following:
FY 27 Town Administrator's Proposed Budget)
1. Budget – Expenditures
Expenditures
Motion to provisionally approve the Police Budget in the amount of $8,530,224 made by Mr.
Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Town Administrator Budget in the amount of $398,493 made
by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Town Clerk Budget in the amount of $559,677 made by Mr.
Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Canvassing Budget in the amount of $403,760 made by Mr.
Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Finance Budget in the amount of $1,175,282 made by Mr.
Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Human Resource Budget in the amount of $2,244,694 made by
Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Legal Budget in the amount of $289,900 made by Mr. Gleason,
seconded by Ms. Patton. Motion passed 6-1. Mr. Payero in dissent.
Motion to provisionally approve the Information Technology Budget in the amount of $397,728
made by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Tax Budget in the amount of $587,811 made by Mr. Gleason,
seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.

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Motion to provisionally approve the Planning Budget in the amount of $565,352 made by Mr.
Gleason, seconded by Ms. Patton. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Building Official Budget in the amount of $431,058 made by
Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Economic Development Budget in the amount of $53,741
made by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Recreation Budget in the amount of $451,132 made by Mr.
Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Parks Budget in the amount of $49,219 made by Mr. Gleason,
seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Senior Center request in the amount of $100,000 made by Mr.
Reise, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed 6-0. Ms. Patton recused.
Motion to provisionally approve the Wildlife Rehabilitators request in the amount of $1,000 made
by Mr. Reise, seconded by Ms. Patton. Motion passed 4-3. Mr. Gleason, Ms. Blank and Mr. Payero
in dissent.
Motion to provisionally approve adding $1,000 to the Dr. Martin Luther King request for a total of
$6,000 and adding $1,000 to the Aquidneck Food Bank request for a total of $6,000 made by Mr.
Gleason, seconded Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally eliminate the request of $1,500 from the RI Social Skills Academy made by
Mr. Reise, seconded by Ms. Patton. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve Civic Support in the amount of $805,453 made by Mr. Gleason,
seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve Total Civic Support Expenditures including State Library Aid in
the amount of $946,010 made by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed
unanimously.
Capital Improvement Plan
Motion to encumber $162,000 for the Coggeshall Demo and Baseball Field if the Federal Grant is
not awarded to the Town made by Mr. Reise, seconded by Mr. Gleason. Motion passed
unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Capital Improvement Plan Budget in the amount of $847,941
made by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Enterprise Funds
Motion to provisionally approve the Glen Farm Equestrian Center Enterprise Fund in the amount of
$19,422 made by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.

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Motion to set the Hedly Street Transfer Station Annual Sticker price in the amount of $325 with $20
going into an account for repairs and maintenance made by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Ms. Patton.
Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally set the Hedly Street Transfer Station Enterprise Fund in the amount of
$798,436 made by Ms. Patton, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed 7-0.
Motion to set the annual Curbside Waste Collection sticker price in the amount of $604 made by
Mr. Payero, seconded by Mr. Gleason. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally set the Curbside Waste Collection Enterprise Fund in the amount of
$1,730,319 made by Mr. Payero, seconded by Mr. Reise. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally set the Arthur Daniel Howell House Enterprise Fund in the amount of
$31,230 made by Mr. Payero, seconded by Mr. Gleason. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Debt Service in the amount of $2,654,520 made by Mr. Payero,
seconded by Ms. Patton. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve OPEB in the amount of $50,000 made by Mr. Gleason, seconded
by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve the Open Space Reserve Fund in the amount of $10,000 made by
Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to provisionally approve Grant Matches in the amount of $51,920 made by Mr. Gleason,
seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed 7-0.
Motion to provisionally approve the proposed budget in the amount of $79,166,565 made by made
by Mr. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
FUTURE MEETINGS
Apr 30 7:00 PM – Town Council Budget Hearing (If needed)
May 11 7:00 PM – Town Council Meeting
May 26 7:00 PM – Town Council Meeting (Tuesday)
Motion to cancel the April 30, 2026 Town Council Meeting made by Ms. Patton, seconded by Mr.
Payero. Motion passed unanimously.
ADJOURN – Motion to adjourn made by Mr. Payero, seconded by Mr. Gleason. Motion passed
unanimously.
Time: 10:00 PM

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Jennifer M. West, CMC, Town Clerk