Search for Solicitor Begins

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA
December 20th 2023

RICHMOND – The last Town Council meeting of the year was not overly long and did not include any major squabbles between council members. There were, however, some disagreements.

Solicitor Leaving

Town Solicitor Karen Ellsworth, who has served the town since 2005, has not enjoyed the unanimous support of the council in recent years and this year, with councilor Samantha Wilcox opposed to her reappointment, and councilors Helen Sheehan and Michael Colasante also opposed, it was clear that Ellsworth no longer had the support of a council majority.

In a letter dated Dec. 7, 2023, Ellsworth withdrew her request for reappointment when her term expires on Jan. 31, 2024.

The position was posted on the town’s website on Dec. 14.

Economic Development Commission

Council members devoted considerable time to discussing the beleaguered Economic Development Commission and the resignations last week of four of its six members.

The only EDC member to have submitted his resignation in writing is B. Joseph Reddish. The council, with Sheehan and Colasante opposed, voted to send letters to EDC members, Bryan LeBeau, Louise Dinsmore, and Joan Kent, asking them to submit their resignations in writing.

Commission Clerk David Woodmansee and member Pete Burton did not resign, but Burton was loudly scolded after the Dec. 11 meeting in the council chambers, by Colasante.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, however, Colasante took a very different tone when councilors discussed the members who had resigned.

“Guys, it’s the holidays right now,” he said. “Let’s give them a break. Let’s show a little bit of Christianity here, all right? For this time of year.”

Trimmer, himself a Christian, was incensed.

“Honestly, that’s probably the angriest I’ve ever been at a Town Council meeting,” he said Wednesday. “When Colasante said ‘let’s be Christian and send out the olive branch.’ He’s the guy who was berating somebody.”

Citing a lack of progress by the current and previous EDCs, Trimmer proposed replacing the commission with a Chamber of Commerce that would include representatives from local businesses. Trimmer’s idea will be discussed at future council meetings.

Chariho Schools

Council members said they needed more information about discussions currently taking place regarding the possible consolidation of some Chariho schools and the construction of a new school.

Trimmer said Wednesday that he understood that some of the district’s school buildings were very old and might not warrant further investment, but he repeated his concern that the taxpayers might end up footing the bill for the latest state mandate, which encourages school districts to have “newer and fewer” school buildings.

“I’m trying to be open-minded about it, reasonable about it,” he said. “To me, everyone that says they’re against funding new schools is accused of being anti-child anti-student, and everyone who’s for building the new schools is accused of being frivolous and irresponsible with their money. It would be nice if we could get everybody to stop pointing fingers and calling names, and just try to work out a solution.”

Trimmer said he planned to attend the community vision meeting on Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. in the high school library. The public will have an opportunity to ask questions about the Chariho budget as well as school consolidation.

The Road Bond

Richmond voters, in 2022, approved a bond authorizing the town to borrow up to $2.5 million for road work. Colasante proposed reducing the amount borrowed by $410,800, which is the amount of a state municipal road grant.

Colasante said his intent was to try to save taxpayers money.

“As far as I’m concerned, that total bond should include the principal and interest for that, so $2.5 million should include the interest,” he said. “People did not vote to approve a $2.85 million bond.”

Finance Director Laura Kenyon said she had prepared a memo, included in the meeting packet, that spelled out the road projects and the sources of funding.

“You have the information I have sent a memo with the schedules, so you have the information,” she said. “We are very close to what we are talking about through that memo and schedules. A lot of issues have been raised. The first one that comes to mind is the fact of the approval of a 2.5 bond. It is not customary to say ‘including interest’ when you’re approving a bond.”

Council President Mark Trimmer said the town’s roads were in desperate need of repair, noting that residents often complained to him about them.

Councilor Samantha Wilcox reminded councilors that the road bond had already been discussed.

Colasante proposed removing one of the roads from the list and having the town pay for that work and Sheehan said the town’s Department of Public Works had paved roads in the past and could pave more.

With Sheehan and Colasante opposed, the council approved a motion to borrow up to $2.5 million for road work.

The Rhode Island 250th Commission

Deputy Secretary of State Rob Rock presented information on plans for celebrating the state’s 250th anniversary and invited the town to participate.

“One of the other things the commission was tasked with is working with other organizations to commemorate the 250th anniversary, which is going to take place in 2026, and one of the commission members had an idea of going to all 39 cities and towns and asking that they put together a local 250th committee to help commemorate the anniversary in their city and town,” he said. “We’d like to invite the town in some way, shape or form, to create a local committee. We have gone to 26 other councils so far, and so far, 26 councils have agreed, in some way, to either establish a new committee or take an existing committee and put this task on them.”

State funding will be available to assist the towns with their participation.

Rock’s pitch received an enthusiastic response from the council.

“We should start a committee of some sort, so we can partner with the state and be a part of it,” Wilcox said. “I could speak with the President of the historical society.”

Trimmer added,

“I think it would be great to have a committee that would include the EDC, the Town Hall, [Town Administrator] Karen [Pinch] and so on, the Town Council.

Sheehan suggested inviting students to take part.

“The schools, too, can do all kinds of writing projects. The kids would probably find it very interesting to learn about their ancestors,” she said.

The formation of a committee will be added to the agenda of the next council meeting.

Stop Signs and Small Business Grants

In a public hearing, the council approved a zoning ordinance amendment to allow the installation of a new stop sign on Hillsdale Road at Tug Hollow Road and Bell Schoolhouse Road.

Pinch announced that several local businesses had been

proposed as recipients of $5,000 small business grants.

The council approved seven awards of $5,000 each to: Barbara’s Beauty Shop, Mae Lumen Salon, Celebrated, Mama Earth, Navigators Coffee/High Grounds, Pasquale Farms Garden Center and the Bronson Family Farm.