Tiverton Council Questions Wind Experts; Increases Maximum Liquor Licenses Allowed

7:02 p.m. The meeting begins.

7:05 p.m. Sen. Walter Felag sat with the council to give an update on the town's options in relation to the efforts on pension reform at the state level.

7:19 p.m. Councilor David Nelson questioned the consent agenda item about the pension plan investment portfolio review and actuarial report, saying the auditor general's office wants Tiverton to put together a five-year plan to fully fund its police pensions. Nelson said that conflicts with the current legislation at the state level asking for 60 percent funding. Sen. Felag said they are asking for 80 percent fully funded. Town Administrator Jim Goncalo said they will be putting together a plan for the Town Council's review, which is due by April 12.

7:26 p.m. The council approved the police pension report in a 6-0 vote. Councilor Brett Pelletier recused himself.

7:34 p.m. In the 7-0 vote, the council, through recommendation from the Open Space Commission, approves an open space memorandum of understanding with the Tiverton Land Trust regarding managing 16 acres of property the land trust will be purchasing near the .

Public hearing on wind energy project

7:44 p.m. Representatives from the East Bay Energy Consortium (EBEC) and Applied Science Associates are giving an update to the wind energy study going on at the industrial park. It is a public hearing. Based on the data being compiled from the meteorlogical wind tower study.

7:51 p.m. Gary Bush, of EBEC, said they are looking at 10, 80-foot turbines for an overall 20 to 25 megawatt system. He said the project will cost between $50 and $70 million, and produce a net return of about $23 to $40 million over the life of the project. He added they want to dovetail with the 's work on a site plan on .

7:54 p.m. Councilor Nelson questions Tiverton's compensation for being the host community to the proposed wind farm. Bush said they want to come back in at least two months with hard numbers, including talk on a purchase lease agreement, revenue sharing and easements. Bush added that they will be figuring the percentage of wind energy going to each of the nine towns. No action was taken during the hearing, and one member of the public spoke.

Proposed ordinance to limit liquor licenses

8:03 p.m. The council opens up a public hearing on the proposal to limit the number of liquor licenses issued in town. The owner of requested the hearing for the council to consider increasing the number of liquor licenses in town. Town Clerk Nancy Mello she's never seen a request in her eight years to go over the town's standard 15 full liquor licenses.

8:30 p.m. After some talk with Town Solicitor Andy Teitz, the council voted 7-0 to increase the maximum number of full liquor (BV) licenses in town from 15 to 20.

License renewals

8:33 p.m. In a 7-0 vote, the councl approved seven junkyard and second hand dealer license renewals, set to expire Nov. 30, 2012.

8:38 p.m. The council approved about 20 liquor license renewals of varying classifications in a 7-0 vote, set to expire next November. Teitz told the council that a sale on the former

8:48 p.m. The council finished approving annual license renewals for tobacco, victualling, holiday, street excavator, entertainment, flea market, mobile home park, petroleum storage and manufactured home elderly community.

Gearing up for the FTR process

9:01 p.m. Councilor Nelson asks for some clarification on how the Board of Canvassers and town will begin preparing for the new budget preparation process under the . Nelson said there is officially no more financial town meeting in Tiverton.

9:08 p.m. Nelson mentioned growing concerns mounting about non-compliant voter resolutions coming forward. Teitz said proposals have to be limited to something financial and be valid. Mello said she will keep the council updated on how the Board of Canvassers votes on the future timeline of the budget's preparation.

Solar panel talk off the table

9:17 p.m. Goncalo announced the on town buildings died. He said the through the contract process lost its funding partner.

Recreation Commission working with 3 grants

9:24 p.m. Goncalo announced the Recreation Commission is working with three grants from the Department of Environmental Management: one to fix the tennis courts, one to refurbish the Town Farm playground and one toward requesting funding for a new soccer complex.  

Update on town v. schools lawsuit

9:32 p.m. Teitz said he started draft petition for an appeal to the Supreme Court, which will be submitted before Thanksgiving. The council voted unanimously last month to take the Town Council and School Committee's year-long dispute over $367,000 and Fall River student tuition to the Supreme Court. Teitz said the School Committee prevailed overthe $367,000 take back dispute where the state ruled they should not be indemnified for the town's shortfall, and the town prevailed in the placement of the out-of-district student tuition payments.

9:39 p.m. The council voted to go into executive session to discuss environmental update and lawsuit settlements from the Bay Street soil contamination issue.

To watch full-length Tiverton Town Council and School Committee meetings, go to http://www.tivertonvideos.blogspot.com.