Blockbuster issues on Monday Town Council agenda

Battle for Ninigret Park, the Y-Gate Zombie, Platner’s Power Grab, CRAC Questions and much, much more

Why is it that almost ALL of the Town Council's agenda feels like a
zombie attack?

By Will Collette

The Town Council meeting on Monday, June 11, is a crucial meeting for several of Charlestown’s biggest and most contentious recent issue. On a very long agenda are the following:

• The Battle for Ninigret Park, featuring presentations from National Parks Service Elyse LaForest (whose letters to Bill DiLibero got him fired), our federal overseer from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Charlie Vandemoer (our de facto sixth Town Council member), Deputy Dan Slattery’s motion to give the feds veto power over the town’s use of Ninigret Park and more. Read more by clicking here.

• The Y-Gate Zombie. Will the Town Council majority break its promise to put any payment of tax funds to buy the abandoned YMCA camp in front of the voters for a separate vote, or will they just simply give the money to the Charlestown Land Trust? Read more by clicking here. 

Platner wants more power

• Platner’s Power Grab. Will the Town Council approve Ordinance #349 that could give the Planning Commission extraordinary power over town property owners, including homeowners? Read more by clicking here. 

• CRAC’d Questions: The Charter Revision Advisory Committee has seven suggested changes to the Charter that they would like the Town Council to approve for a November vote by Charlestown citizens. Only one of the seven is really worthwhile. Read more by clicking here. 

• Dark-Sky Friendly Lighting Ordinance. Has the Planning Commission sufficiently watered down the lighting ordinance (Ordinance #347) so that no one opposes it anymore? Was there a better way to do this other than an ordinance that doesn’t really do anything? Read more by clicking here. 

The Town Council will also consider who it will appoint to the search committee to find a new Town Administrator.

The Council will get chewed out for 15 minutes by Jim Mageau, speaking as a “Person Wishing to Be Heard,” over their severance deal with former Town Administrator Dill DiLibero.

Will Boss Gentz be working with a long or
a short fuse on Monday?

They will consider a license for the Breachway Grill, whose owner was publicly pilloried by Council President Boss Tom Gentz.

They will approve, without discussion or debate, a contract for red light cameras to a company that falsely claimed it was a Rhode Island-based, 100% American company (it’s not). But as I think we’ve all learned over the past year and a half, lying is not a problem for our Town Council majority. Read more by clicking here. 

They will hear the first reading of Ordinance #350,  a punitive ordinance by Boss Gentz aimed at banning parking on Town Dock Road despite the devastating effect it will have on businesses who need that parking.

In private executive session, the Council members will discuss Councilor Lisa DiBello’s lawsuit against the Town and the Charlestown Ten (DiBello v. Charlestown). Some are saying that a settlement may be in the works, now that two of DiBello’s enemies have left town service. Read more by clicking here. 

One of those enemies, now retired Police Chief Jack Shippee will actually be the first item of business on the Monday agenda when the Council officially accepts his retirement and awards him a commemorative plaque. Read more by clicking here.

I have prepared a version of the Town Council agenda that takes into account the re-ordering of agenda items done by the Council at its June 6 agenda planning meeting. As most regular meeting attendees know, the order of the actual agenda bears little resemblance to the official printed agenda. For a printer-friendly version of the agenda in ACTUAL order, click here.