THIS MEETING CAN BE HEARD IN ITS ENTIRETY ON THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN WEBSITE WWW.MIDDLETOWNRI.COM OR THE DVD IS AVAILABLE AT THE MIDDLETOWN LIBRARY.
At a Special Meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Middletown, RI at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, RI in person on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 6:00 P.M.
Members Present::
Council President Paul M. Rodrigues, Presiding
Vice President Thomas P. Welch, III
Councillor Peter D. Connerton, Sr.
Councillor Christopher M. Logan
Councillor Charles R. Roberts
Councillor Dennis B. Turano, arrives at 6:04 PM
Councillor Barbara A. VonVillas
Assistant Town Solicitor Michael Monti present.
Town Administrator Shawn Brown, arrives at 6:16 PM
POSTED – May 14, 2025
SPECIAL MEETING – May 21, 2025
The following items of business, having been filed with the Town Clerk under the Rules of the Council, will come before the Council at a special meeting to be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 6:00 P.M. at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, Rhode Island. Said meeting will be conducted in person, by telephone conference call/ webinar, members of the public may access and listen to the meeting in real-time by calling 1-877-853-5257 (Toll Free) or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll Free) and entering Meeting ID: 842 5559 3996 or on the web at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84255593996
Wendy J.W. Marshall, MMC
Town Clerk
Town of Middletown
Town Hall – 350 East Main Road
Middletown, Rhode Island 02842
Dear Ms. Marshall:
Pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Section 203 of the Town Charter and in accordance with Sections 42-46-2., 42-46-4., 42-46-5., and 42-46-6., RIGL, I hereby call a Special Meeting of the Town Council to formally consider, discuss and act upon the following items of business. All items on this agenda, may be considered, discussed and voted upon.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
An Ordinance in amendment to the ordinances of the Town of Middletown General Fund, Parks and Recreation Fund, Sewer Fund, Refuse and Recycling Fund, Appropriating revenues for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
2. An Ordinance of the Town of Middletown (First Reading)
An Ordinance in Amendment to the Town Code of the Town of Middletown, Title III, Chapter 36, Entitled “Fee Schedule”, Section (H) Refuse and Recycling Department, (2) User Fee.
Said meeting will be held at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842 on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 6:00 P.M.
____________________________________
Paul M. Rodrigues, President
Middletown Town Council
cc : Town Council Public Library Finance Director
Town Administrator Town Solicitor School Committee
This meeting location is accessible to the handicapped. Individuals requiring interpreter services for the hearing-impaired should notify the Town Clerk’s Office at 847-0009 not less than 48 hours before this meeting.
Posted on May 14, 2025 at Middletown Town Hall, Middletown Public Library, Middletown Web Site and Secretary of State Web Site.
Wendy J.W. Marshall, MMC
Town Clerk
This meeting location is accessible to the handicapped. Individuals requiring interpreter services for the hearing-impaired should notify the Town Clerk’s Office at 847-0009 not less than 48 hours before this meeting.
Posted on May 14, 2025 at Middletown Town Hall, Middletown Public Library and Secretary of State Web Site.
1. Public Hearing (Advertised)
An Ordinance of the Town of Middletown (First Reading)
An Ordinance in amendment to the ordinances of the Town of Middletown General Fund, Parks and Recreation Fund, Sewer Fund, Refuse and Recycling Fund, Appropriating revenues for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
Public Hearing was declared open.
Finance Director Marc Tanguay reviewed a PowerPoint presentation FY 2026 Budget First Public Hearing, which is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk.
Council discussion centered around the mill rate increase, the amount of residents signed up for the Tired Tax Program has increased from the last signup by 457 residents, the Rental properties Tired Tax Program sign up ended last Thursday for filing, residents must complete a Tired Tax Program application form every three years, the need for the affidavit which is part of the Tired Tax Program application which residents are attesting to not collecting an exemption in another community, the on line system for the Tired Tax Program is working well and the intent to allow people to sign up for the Tired Tax Program, if they are renting a second home for long term is to help create housing.
Superintendent of School William Niemeyer, read the following into the record:
Mr. Niemeyer also reviewed the following information:
Council discussion centered around the funded and underfunded mandate document sent to the Town Council in January from the School Department, state mandates, the need to discuss state mandates with the legislature for relief, the increase in the school budget since the April 26, 2025 meeting is due to transportation increases (busing), the School Department will supply the Council with the amount of teachers in the school district, the Beyond the Bell program is fully funded in the school budget, and the unknown factor of if the Federal Department of Education will reduce funding.
Further discussion by the Town Council centered around the Public Utilities Commission sets the service charge for sewer, the percentage of seniors in Town, the increase in the Refuse and Recycling program, the impact on the seniors with the tax increase, how the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) works, the projects identified in the CIP are presented by the Town Departments, the CIP is an ordinance which is based on the levy increase each budget year, the CIP this year would be $2,339,045.00, the Town Council can vote to defer projects in the CIP, there will be impacts if projects in the CIP are deferred and the Town has not created a CIP book in the past three years.
Lori Verderosa, Middletown Prevention Coalition (MPC), Director, addressed the Council on behalf of the MPC Leadership Team, requesting the Town fund the program in full, due to the possibility that grant funding may not come through. Ms. Verderosa explained that currently the MPC is being funded for three months in the budget proposal and the grant climate is not looking favorable. Lori Verderosa noted the MPC will know in September if the grant funding will be awarded to the Town.
Council discussion centered around there are discussions at the State House that changes may be needed in September, due to changes in grant information in Washington, DC, the firefighter Safer Grants are starting to move again, there may be additional budget items that have to be revisited in September, a contingency fund, Councillor Roberts stands behind the MPC and suggests setting aside monies to pay for the program, the current mental health epidemic, the MPC has not been cut from the proposed budget, the Council requests the amount of monies in the fund balance, the fund balance policy for the Town and School, the fund balance ordinance says the money is used for emergency or a one-time event, it is not good to use fund balance to balance the operating budget and civic appropriations for programs the Town supports.
Wendy Heaney, School Committee Vice Chair, MPC Liaison for the School Committee, addressed the Council requesting the Council to support the MPC by funding a full year. Ms. Heaney explained that the program is not just for kids, but parents and the community.
Council discussion centered around the Second Public Hearing will be held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 6:00 pm, decisions need to be made regarding the budget, the need to look at the big picture, Councillor Logan request a pie chart of budget allocations and Councillor Logan requests the Council to consider adding staff to the library.
Arleen Kaull, Middletown Senior Center Director, addressed the Council requesting the total average yearly increase for a taxpayer, noting concern of affordability for residents.
Council discussion centered around the average yearly tax increase is approximately $380.00, the Council can contact the administration with proposed suggestions to the budget and Councillor Roberts requested a template for motions to change budget line items.
There being no other persons present or on zoom desiring to be heard, public hearing will remain open.
On motion of Vice President Welch, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said ordinance on its first reading.
2. An Ordinance of the Town of Middletown (First Reading)
An Ordinance in Amendment to the Town Code of the Town of Middletown, Title III, Chapter 36, Entitled “Fee Schedule”, Section (H) Refuse and Recycling Department, (2) User Fee.
On motion of Vice President Welch, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to receive said ordinance on its first reading.
On motion of Vice President Welch, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to adjourn said meeting at 7:57 p.m.
Wendy J.W. Marshall, MMC
Council Clerk
supporting documentation is available at http://clerkshq.com/default.ashx?clientsite=Middletown-ri