Tiverton Council Withdraws Support After Developer's No-Show

7:02 p.m. The meeting begins with the council going into executive session to discuss the acquisition of the industrial park and a second item about a prospective business.

7:03 p.m. Resident Deb Pallasch objects to the council entering into executive session to discuss the prospective business. She said it concerns her because it regards a private development on private land for a project that has not been submitted to the Planning Board of review. She said residents just heard about a huge development , and said now she fears there's a rush to move forward with another one without any specifics made available to the public. She cites open meetings law 42-46-5(a)(6) regarding public review of local private development projects. Pallasch said it is now fair to the review boards or to the developers, and gives the appearence of "impropriety" and makes the process appear politicized.

She asks the council to cease holding these types of meetings. The council enters into executive session.

7:28 p.m. Council reconvenes. Votes 4-3 to seal the minutes. Councilors Joan Chabot, Robert Coulter and Dave Nelson vote no. Council President Jay Lambert said no action was taken, except discussion that they should not have entered into executive session for the proposal from the developers. He said their legal counsel will talk to the town attorney either in private or public session and give proper public notice. "We had absolutely no presentation at all," Lambert said.

7:33 p.m. Council removes a consent agenda item from the agenda to talk to Town Planner Chris Spencer about a $52,000 grant awarded to the town to study an application of a formed-based codes to the commercial areas of Main Road to State Avenue to Sousa Road and the Bliss Corners commercial area. He said the total project cost is $75,000. Spencer said this was a very competitive grant round, and there will be a lot of public input needed to study the formed-based codes for the commercial areas. Lambert reads a letter from Gov. Lincoln Chaffee applauding them on their planning efforts, and the council thanks Spencer for his efforts in securing the grant. Spencer added this is the same funding the town used for GIS mapping.

7:35 p.m. Council votes 6-0 to approve the pension investment report for the period ending Dec. 31, 2011. Councilor Brett Pelletier recuses himself.

7:46 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to approve a pro forma special permit for an event on Aug. 11 at approved by the Tiverton Recreation Commission, and hosted by the Tiverton Historical Society. Coulter, as liaison to the Recreation Commission, said the event will be a barbeque around the campfire with storytelling of Tiverton's history. There's also supposed to be a great meteor shower that night, he said.

Storm/waste water runoff report due

8 p.m. Director Stephen Berlucchi and Jeff Nield, an environmental consultant from ESS Group, talk to the council for public input to the annual report for the town's pollution discharge elimination system, required by the Department of Environmetnal Management. In the last year, Berlucchi said the two areas of concern were the Robert Gray Avenue area and Summerfield Avenue. Nield said this is an update as to how the town is showing updates and improvements to its stormwater management system over time. He said its a sampling of stormwater over time, with respect to illegal connections to the stormwater drainage system. Nield said that has been a concern. They also study run-off from construction sites. The council votes 7-0 to move the hearing to March 12.

Another step forward for Buddy's Place building

8:07 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to transfer a BV liquor license for Buddy's Place, 79 Main St., from the receiver, Vicnent Indeglia, Esquire to D&L Corp.

Resignations

8:08 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to accept, with regret, the resignation of Jennifer Eng fro the Juvenile Hearing Board. Lambert said the family moved to Portsmouth.

8:10 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to accept, with regret, he resignations of Sam Carr and Carol Hermann from the Coastal Resource Management Council.

Private developer fails to show for meeting

8:12 p.m. Gerald Felise, of Natural Energy Generation, is not present at the meeting to discuss his letter of support from the . Councilor Ed Roderick said he feels uncomfortable with his proposal. Vice President Cecil Leonard said with a company affiliated with Felise going in bankruptcy last week, Douglass Industries, made him feel uneasy. A motion is made to continue the item if Felise comes back to the council next month.

Roderick and resident Renee Jones, who approached the podium asking why the council thought about leaving the item on the agenda open, said this should be removed all together. Former Council President Louise Durfee, approaches the podium, saying the fact the council fast tracked this item and put aside the proposed wind farm and the work of the economic development commission makes the council "look foolish."

Council votes 6-0 to remove Felise's proposal from the agenda altogether. Nelson abstains from the vote.

8:25 p.m. Council hears about a petition regarding the imposed fishing and recreational restrictions on Nonquit Pond. Town Administrator said Newport County Water does not allow activities on the pond or any of its nine managed reservoirs, and the company, which is in the process of building a $67 million water treatment facility, already has a difficult time treating Nonquit. No action taken.

8:33 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to table Councilor Leonard's update on the comprehensive community plan for the next meeting. The agenda item states creating a broad based citizen group to prepare a current comprehensive community plan to submit to appropriate state agencies by the 2014 due date.

Town should hire professional services to market industrial park

8:47 p.m. Lengthy discussion takes place with the council about wind power, other alternative energy proposals for the industrial park and the remaining concern surrounding Felise's proposal. Council hears from Spencer, Open Space Commision member Garry Plunkett, Alex Shapiro from Apex Wind Energy, Budget Committee member Laura Epke, Planning Board member Peter Moniz and Economic Development Chairman Len Schmidt. The overall theme is that the council can't handle with the scope and scale of bringing business and jobs to the industrial park, and the town should hire a professional economic development consultant to help guide the town through the marketing process.

Coulter said he wants to hear more about the study from DiPrete Engineering, which subdivided the industrial park's parcels last year.

Work on Coulter's long-term financial plan

9:30 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to accept Councilor Coulter's policy for the unrestricted general fund for the long term financial plan for the town, to raise the level of funds in the unrestricted general fund surplus. Currently, town code states money cannot be removed if the withdrawal would cause the fund to fall below 3 percent of the operating budget.

10:01 p.m. After lengthy discussion on carryforwards and transfers within municipal departments in the town's history, on adopting a new policy under Coulter's long term financial plan, the council votes 7-0 to table it for formal vote at the next meeting.

10:07 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to continued Coulter's department discretionary budget program under the long term financial plan to the next meeting.

Goncalo gives update on budget

10:40 p.m. Goncalo delivers his updated to the council, citing the triggers for what is now a 3.8 percent increase. Council votes 7-0 to hold workshop to discuss concerns on lowering the spending plan before its deadline for final draft submission to the Budget Committee. He said the largest bulk of the $666,000 increase is a 12 percent increase to health and dental, per the recommendation of the Interlocal Trust.

Two choices face town after landfill closes

10:54 p.m. Council hears from Berlucchi and representative from Pare Corporation about the town's two options on handling its trash and recycling once the : haul to Johnston or build transfer station. Hauling to Johnston is a slightly cheaper option.

Realtor approved to enter sealed bid auction for town buildings

11:13 p.m. Council votes 7-0 to allow Hogan Associates to enter into a sealed bid auction on the old Nonquit and Ranger schools. Town received three request-for-proposals, although one came in late after the Feb. 17 deadline.

Town v. schools funds debate update

11:27 p.m. Town Solicitor Andy Teitz talks about three dates for the Town Council and School Committee to meet to talk about . He adds that he hopes a delay occurs for the meeting with a hearing officer at the Rhode Island Department of Education over the 2010-11 , citing the willingness to settle the 2009-10 dispute.

11:33 p.m. The council votes to go into executive session.

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