Nov. 17, 2025 - Regular Meeting

THIS MEETING CAN BE HEARD IN ITS ENTIRETY ON THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN WEBSITE WWW.MIDDLETOWNRI.COM OR THE DVD IS AVAILABLE AT THE MIDDLETOWN LIBRARY.

At a Regular Meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Middletown, RI at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, RI in person on Monday, November 17, 2025 at 5:30 P.M.

Members Present:

Council President Paul M. Rodrigues, Presiding

Councilor Peter D. Connerton, Sr.

Councilor Christopher M. Logan

Councilor Charles R. Roberts

Councilor Dennis B. Turano

Councilor Barbara A. VonVillas

Absent:

Vice President Thomas P. Welch, III

POSTED – NOVEMBER 12, 2025

REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 17, 2025

TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN, RHODE ISLAND

The following items of business, having been filed with the Town Clerk under the Rules of the Council, will come before the Council at a regular meeting to be held on Monday, November 17, 2025, 5:30 P.M. Executive Session, Legislative Agenda Immediately Following Executive Session and 6:30 P.M. Regular Meeting at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, Rhode Island. Said meeting will be conducted in person.  Virtual access will also be provided by telephone conference call/ webinar and members of the public may access and listen to the meeting in real-time by calling 1-877-853-5257 (Toll Free) or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll Free) and entering Meeting ID: 872 3685 1197 or on the web at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87236851197; **however, virtual access is being provided only as a convenience and is not an official "location" where access to the meeting is guaranteed. Being physically present at the meeting is the only way to guarantee complete access to the meeting, as the meeting will not be paused or rescheduled if the virtual access fails.  **

If you choose to join the meeting by zoom or telephone, Council Rules allow for the Public to speak only during the Public Forum and Public Hearings. If calling in by telephone, pressing 9 raises your hand and pressing 6 will unmute.

The items listed on the Consent portion of the agenda are to be considered routine by the Town Council and will ordinarily be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Council, or a member of the public so requests and the Town Council President permits, in which event the item will be removed from Consent Agenda consideration and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. All items on this agenda, with the exception of the Public Forum Session, may be considered, discussed, and voted upon in executive session and/or open session.

Pursuant to RIGL §42-46-6(b). Notice – “Nothing contained herein shall prevent a public body, other than a school committee, from adding additional items to the agenda by majority vote of the members. Such additional items shall be for informational purposes 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.”

Any person not a member of the Council, desiring to address the Council concerning a matter on the docket of the Council, not the subject of a Public Hearing, shall submit a written request to the Town Clerk stating the matter upon which he desires to speak. Persons are permitted to address the Council for a period not to exceed five (5) minutes.

The Middletown Town Council follows the codification of present-day general parliamentary law as articulated in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 10 th edition (2000), together with whatever rules of order the Council has adopted for its own governance. The motion to reconsider is one of the motions that can bring a question again before an assembly, and is designed to bring back for further consideration a motion which has already been voted on:

If, in the same session that a motion has been voted on, but no later than the same day or the next day on which a business meeting is held, new information or a changed situation makes it appear that a different result might reflect the true will of the assembly, a member who voted with the prevailing side can, by moving to ** Reconsider** [RONR (10

propose that the question shall come before the assembly again as if it had not previously been considered. (From Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief, Robert, Evans et al., De Capo Press, 2004)

There were no reconsiderations.

1.    Executive Session - Pursuant to provisions of RIGL, Sections 42-46-2, 42-46-4 and 42-46-5 (a), (2) Collective Bargaining (Teamsters) and (5) Land Acquisition (West Main Road).

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to recess open session and reconvene in executive session at 5:31 p.m.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to recess executive session and reconvene in open session at 6:12 p.m.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive the TEAMSTERS Union fiscal impact statement.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to seal the executive session minutes pursuant to Section 42-46-7. RIGL

2.    Town’s Legislative concerns to be addressed at the 2026 session of the General Assembly - with the Town’s General Assembly Delegation. (No Documentation)

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to begin discussion regarding the Town’s Legislative concerns to be addressed at the 2026 session of the General Assembly with the Town’s General Assembly Delegation.

Present were Senator District 12 Louis P. DiPalma, Representative District 72 Terri-Denise Cortvriend and Representative District 74 Alex Finkelman.

Town Administrator Shawn Brown reviewed the following:

Town of Middletown

Town Council Legislative Agenda

November 17, 2025

** Legislation**:

• Library Construction Reimbursement Rates:Introduce legislation that allows Middletown to benefit from updated reimbursement rates associated with library construction. OLIS rates have not been updated since 2017.

• Veteran Exemption:Expand veteran tax exemptions for all Middletown veterans who are honorably discharged.

• Special Education Funding: establish a new high-cost special education fund to pool resources and generate income to support excess costs associated with providing service to special education

students. (2025 H6325)

• Student Transportation Needs and System Costs: Increase number of regions to nine (9) districts for bussing out-of-district students to promote greater efficiency, cost savings, and reducing the amount of time spent on a school bus. (2025 S972/H6236)

• Speed Cameras:As of today, speed cameras are only allowed in school zones. Amend RI General Law Chapter 41.3 Automated School-Zone Speed Enforcement System Act of 2016 to include any location where speeding occurs, not just school zones.

• School Gym as Emergency Shelter: Reintroduce legislation to reimburse town with EMA funds for the upgraded improvements to the new Middle-High School as an emergency shelter with a generator with increased capacity.

• Modification of PILOT Funding Eligibility: This proposal seeks to modify eligibility for PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) funding to include federal military installations. Specifically, we aim to include Naval Station Newport, the largest employer in our state, in this funding stream. This change would provide much-needed financial support to our town, offsetting the costs associated with hosting such a significant military presence and reinforcing our commitment to this vital institution.

Support__**

• NOAA and Coast Guard Personnel Increase: Advocate for funding and support for housing and infrastructure improvements for the NOAA (200) and Coast Guard (1300) personnel and families expected to arrive at NAVSTA Newport in the next 3 year.

• Affordable Housing: Advocate for expanded eligibility for suburban communities to qualify for tax credits through the state’s housing program for affordable housing projects with reduced density requirements.

• Timeline for STIP Projects: Advocate for accelerating schedule for STIP projects in Middletown, especially STIP Project 5070: Lower Aquidneck paving and sidewalks (Purgatory to Green End) Design & Construction and STIP Project 5307 Atlantic Beach District Streetscapes

4.     Advocate for continued funding for the following programs listed in the RILCT Legislative Priorities for 2026: Learn365 Program, Municipal Road Program, Resilient Rhody Infrastructure Fund, and Main Street RI Streetscape Improvement Fund.

Discussion centered around the reduction in funding from the Federal Government, regionalization legislation, last year there was legislation that increased the hotel tax to benefit Middletown, library building project reimbursement, speed cameras, STIP project timeline and Special Education.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to recess this meeting at 7:04 pm.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to reconvene this meeting at 7:08 pm.

3.    Communication of Justin Bernard, Senior Project Manager, Project Management Services, Colliers Project Leaders, re: New Middletown Middle-High School- Gilbane Guaranteed Maximum Price Proposal, Recommendation to Award for Tree Relocation.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said communication.

Justin Bernard, Senior Project Manager, Project Management Services, Colliers Project Leaders, reviewed the communication above.

4.    Resolution of the Council, re:  Approving the proposal from North-Eastern Tree Service, Inc., for the relocation of trees at the new Middletown Middle High School site funding from the School Improvement Bond Proceeds and all expenses recorded in the School Department’s Capital Projects Fund and the Town Administrator is authorized to execute the agreement of behalf of the Town.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to pass said resolution.

5.    Communication of Justin Bernard, Senior Project Manager, Project Management Services, Colliers Project Leaders, re:  New Middletown Middle-High School- Gilbane Guaranteed Maximum Price Proposal. (See attached memorandum.)

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said communication.

Justin Bernard, Senior Project Manager, Project Management Services, Colliers Project Leaders, reviewed the communication above.

6.    Resolution of the Council, re:  Approving the construction manager at risk’s Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract for the Middletown Middle High School construction project with Gilbane Building Company, funding from the School Improvement Bond Proceeds and all expenses recorded in the School Department’s Capital Projects Fund and the Town Administrator is authorized to execute the agreement of behalf of the Town.

On motion of  Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to pass said resolution.

7.    Communication of Justin Bernard, Senior Project Manager, Project Management Services, Colliers Project Leaders, re: Valley Elementary School (ES Complex)- Bently Guaranteed Maximum Price Proposal, funding from the School Improvement Bond Proceeds and all expenses recorded in the School Department’s Capital Projects Fund and the Town Administrator is authorized to execute the agreement of behalf of the Town, as follows:

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said communication.

Justin Bernard, Senior Project Manager, Project Management Services, Colliers Project Leaders, reviewed the communication above.

Ed Brady, Co-Chair of the School Building Committee, addressed the Council noting that the alternate will provide items that the buildings did not have funding from in the original facility plan.

John Woznakewicz, Middletown, addressed the Council inquiring about the price for trash receptacles, picnic tables and outdoor tables for the facility.

8.    Resolution of the Council, re: Approving the construction manager at risk’s Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract for the Valley Elementary School construction project with Bently Builders LLC.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to pass said resolution.

9.    Pursuant to Rule 25 of the Rules of the Council, Citizens may address the town on one (1) subject only, said subject of substantive Town business, neither discussed during the regular meeting nor related to personnel or job performance. Citizens may speak for no longer than five (5) minutes and must submit a public participation form to the Council Clerk prior to the start of the meeting. All items discussed during this session will not be voted upon.

Mary Dennis, representing the Middletown Historical Society, addressed the Council reviewing the following:

Mike Kravchuk, Middletown, addressed the Council requesting not to pay the non-resident owner occupied tax rate, due to having a short-term rental, explaining an owner-occupied residence should not be penalized for having a short-term rental.

Wendy Riel, Middletown, addressed the Council reading the following into the record:

Gina Orszulak, Middletown, addressed the Council requesting them to reject the proposed West Main Road Town Center and leave the library in its current location.

Chris Semonelli, Middletown, addressed the Council noting that there is an Affordable Housing Summit at the CCRI Newport Campus on Wednesday.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to act as a Board of License Commission.

10. Application of Liyi Li and Lifeng Guo d/b/a Ching Tao Chinese Restaurant, 268 West Main Road to TRANSFER Class BV Liquor License to RJR, Inc. d/b/a Ching Tao Chinese Restaurant (2025-2026 Licensing year) for use at the same premises. (Requires Advertising for Public Hearing to be held on December 1, 2025)

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said application and advertise for a public hearing to be held on December 1, 2025.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to reconvene as a Town Council.

11.  Approval of Minutes, re:  Regular Meeting, October 6, 2025.

On motion of , Councilor Logan duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to approve said minutes.

12.  License of Burial, re:  Melanie Warren, Section 57, Graves 25.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to grant said license of burial.

13.  Email Communication of Bryan Hoffman, re:  Resignation from the Conservation Commission.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said email communication and resignation with regret.

14.  An Ordinance of the Town of Middletown (Second Reading)

An ordinance in amendment to the Town Code of the Town of Middletown Title XI, General Regulations, Chapter 90 Animals, 90.03 Disposition of Carcasses and Waste.

Town Solicitor Peter B. Regan noted the amendments made to the ordinance at the request of the Town Council.

Terri Flynn, Middletown, addressed the Council inquiring if there was any feedback from the horse owners.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted to approve said amendment and adopt said ordinance on its second reading, as amended; Councilor Roberts voted NO to said motion.

15.  Communication of Vice President Welch, Councilor Connerton and Council President Rodrigues, re:  Street Fair in the Atlantic Beach District.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said communication.

Council President Rodrigues addressed the Council noting that he would like to explore having a street fair in the Atlantic Beach District, similar to the Broadway Street Fair in Newport. Mr. Rodrigues explained the need for community involvement and there is a lot of work involved in having a street fair. Council President Rodrigues noted that he spoke to Middletown Economic Advisory Development Committee Chair Valerie Gelb and she is interested in assisting.

Mike Flynn, representing Easton’s Point Association, addressed the Council noting that a Street Fair is a good idea.  Mr. Flynn explained that he will speak to the Easton’s Point Association Board and pulse the membership to see if they can help in any way.

Discussion centered around the City of Newport does not co-ordinate the street fair, a committee may be needed to assist with fair arrangements, inviting the Atlantic Beach District shop owners to a workshop to get feedback, and having a workshop with the Economic Development Advisory Committee to discuss the street fair matter prior to Christmas.

16.  Memorandum of Councilor Turano, re: Newport Water Meeting.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said memorandum.

Councilor Turano addressed the Council requesting that the Newport Water Director of Utilities come to a Council meeting and update the Council on future projects that involve Middletown.

17.  Memorandum of Councilor Turano, re: Middletown 5 Year Budget Forecast Review- Workshop.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said memorandum.

Councilor Turano addressed the Council noting the presentation of the 5 Year Budget Forecast was great and now requests a workshop to dissect the document more.  Mr. Turano noted he would like a 2% rate, he is looking for predictability and transparency.

Council President Rodrigues suggested the matter be discussed during the budget workshops.

18.  Memorandum of Councilor Turano, re:  Coddington’s Holiday Hope Fundraiser.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said memorandum.

Councilor Turano addressed the Council noting he takes no pay for his service as a Town Council member and would like to donate his pay to the Coddington Brewing Company Holiday Hope Fundraiser that is coordinated by Heidi Christy from Coddington Brew Pub.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to donate $2,500.00 to the Coddington Brewing Company Holiday Hope Fundraiser, to be appropriated from the Town Council President’s Discretionary Fund.

19.  Discussion of scheduling a workshop between Middletown Town Council  and Newport City Council, re:  Regionalization - The entire City Council is available on Monday, December 8, 2025, 5:30 p.m. The meeting would be held at the Wyndham Newport Hotel, 240 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown, RI 02842.

On motion of Councilor Logan duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to begin said discussion.

Councilor Connerton noted he would not be able to attend the meeting.

Antone Viveiros, Middletown, addressed the Council reviewing Title 16 Education from RI General Laws.  Mr. Viveiros noted that the Middletown School Committee does not support regionalization and requested the Council to scrap the proposal of regionalization or put it on hold.

Councilor Roberts noted support to have a discussion regarding regionalization with the City of Newport.

Council President Rodrigues noted the need to have a conversation with the City of Newport to see where the discussion will go.

On motion of Councilor Logan, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to adjourn said meeting at 8:39  p.m.

Wendy J.W. Marshall, MMC

Council Clerk