Little Compton To Be Reimbursed On DOT Police Details

The Little Compton Town Council approved an agreement with the DOT last week that will reimburse the town for costs incurred by uniformed officers positioned at state roadway construction projects.

In a meeting that lasted less than 10 minutes last week, the Little Compton Town Council approved an agreement for reimbursement of the costs of police details with the state Department of Transportation. In accordance with federal law, the agreement allows the town to bill the DOT for costs incurred from the use of uniformed Little Compton Police officers on federal-aid highway projects. It requires that the DOT pay the same rates as negotiated in the contract with the local police union. “We are collecting something that offsets the [Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax] and other charges associated with this overtime,” said Robert L. Mushen. In other business:  The council unanimously awarded a bid for asphalt to P.J. Keating, a …

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Three Little Compton EMTs Receive Lifesaving Awards

The Town Council recognized them this month for their quick action to help a man suffering from cardiac arrest last winter.

Three public safety officers in the Little Compton Fire Department received lifesaving awards from the Town Council this month for their work to help a man last winter. Council President Robert Mushen said Lt. Randall Watt, Firefighter Fred Melnyk and Call Firefighter/EMT Jason DaSilva were honored at the May 10 council meeting. Cpl. Kennedy Hawes of the police department was also recognized. "The four of them were instrumental in saving the life of a citizen," Mushen said, noting the citizen wants to remain anonymous. Mushen said the public safety officers revived a man last winter suffering from cardiac arrest as they were getting ready to transport him to the ambulance and he collasped. He said the quick action from the officers to …

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Sakonnet National Grid Customers To Be First To Test WiFi Thermostat

Tiverton and Little Compton town councils received the presentation in the last week.

Ever wished you could adjust your home or business thermostat remotely using a smartphone? Well according to National Grid, more than 100 Tiverton and Little Compton customers will be the first in the state getting that option to participate in a pilot program this summer. National Grid officials say the program, where participants get a WiFi programmable controllable thermostat, will cut gas and electric bills by approximately 7 percent. "Tiverton and Little Compton are really the first towns to test this out," said Christina Skursky, National Grid project manager in energy services, in a Tuesday morning interview. She's been before the Tiverton and Little Compton town councils recently to pitch the idea. They originally offered it in …

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Howard Johnson

10:43 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012

You are not alone in your thinking, Dan. Quote: 92. Thus science marches on blindly, without regard to the real welfare of the human race or to any other standard, obedient only to the psychological needs of the scientists and of the government officials and corporation executives who provide the funds for research. (Source: Unabomber's Manifesto well.sf.ca.us )   more ›

Little Compton Council President Comments on EBEC Bill

Robert Mushen said the town wants to look at the legislation, but even broader, the business of it establishing a policy for windmills and solar panels in the town.

As towns take a harder look at the East Bay Energy Consortium (EBEC) bills after showing support, including Tiverton, the Little Compton Town Council opted to form an ad hoc group to review them. Council President Robert Mushen said Thursday the council recently voted 5-0 to form a group of the school committee chairman, a town councilor, the chairman of the Renewable Energy Committee and two private citizens to review the language in the House and Senate bill. Just as important, he said the group will research and recommend an ordinance pertaining to Little Compton's renewable energy options. "We have a portion of our zoning ordinance that addresses wireless communication facilities, like cell towers, but nothing that governs windmills or…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Little Compton Needs 149 Voters For Financial Town Meeting Quorum

Larry Anderson, Little Compton Town Moderator, writes a letter to the editor.

To the Editor: Little Compton’s annual Financial Town Meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 22, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Wilbur-McMahon School Auditorium/Gymnasium. (Doors open at 6 p.m.; elections for two seats on the Budget Committee will also be taking place that evening.) Among Rhode Island communities that approve their budgets and levy taxes at a Financial Town Meeting, Little Compton can boast one of the highest percentages of voter participation. But the town’s Home Rule Charter establishes a minimum quorum for a town meeting: five percent of registered voters, or, this year, 149 voters. Some years we have achieved a quorum by only a modest margin. The Financial Town Meeting offers voters a right and an opportunity that is not …

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Last Chance: Public Hearing on Little Compton Budget Proposal

Tuesday night is the final public hearing on the fiscal 2012-13 budget.

The Little Compton Budget Committee is proposing a tax rate increase of 0.9 percent and a tax levy increase of 1.5 percent this year's fiscal 2012-13 budget. This comes after some careful reductions and reportedly the third year in a row with a level-funded school budget request, according to Chairman Scott Morrison. The final public hearing is Tuesday, May 15, at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. The financial town meeting is next Tuesday night, May 22 at 7 p.m. in the school gymnasium.

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Little Compton Posts Report to Taxpayers on Proposed Budget

The financial town meeting is Tuesday, May 22 at 7 p.m. in the Wilbur-McMahon gymnasium.

Little Compton Town Council President Robert Mushen posted the town's report to taxpayers on the current and proposed budget. The .pdf report is attached to this post. The Budget Committee meets tonight at 6 p.m. at Town Hall to go over its final budget proposal. The financial town meeting is Tuesday, May 22 at 7 p.m. in the Wilbur-McMahon School gymnasium. Patch interviewed Little Compton Budget Committee Chairman Scott Morrison last week, who talked about the careful reductions and trending factors in the budget planning process.

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Little Compton Fiscal 2013 Budget Proposal Keeps Spending Down

Years of low town spending has required Little Compton to keep its highway department at a minimum level, and be prudent on its General Fund withdrawals.

Little Compton's Budget Committee holds its first public workshop on the fiscal 2012-13 proposal this Thursday night, May 3 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. They will also be doing preliminary votes on the budget strokes, of which there are 59 this year. In an interview last week, Chairman Scott Morrison said after some careful reductions and reportedly the third year in a row with a level-funded school budget request, they propose a tax rate increase of 0.9 percent and a tax levy increase of 1.5 percent. "The town's done a great job at keeping expenses down," he said, The second public hearing is Tuesday, May 15 and the financial town meeting is Thursday, May 22 in the Wilbur-McMahon School gym. Reductions Morrison said the Town Council requested …

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