you you you you you you you you you you you I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. I'm going to go to the next slide. Okay. Okay. All right. The time is now 7 p.m. We have a quorum. Let's call to order the Nareganza at town council. A regular meeting today is September 18th, 2023. The time, as I said, is 7 p.m. Let's stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it is under God in this assault with liberty and justice for all. Okay, thank you now moving on to the approval of minutes. I have a motion to accept and place on file the minutes from the August 21st, 2023 regular meeting. So moved. Second. All in favor? Aye. All opposed. Motion by Council Lawler, seconded by Councilor Copic, motion passes for zero. Next is a motion to accept and place on file. The minutes from the from the September 5th, 2023 work session meeting. So moved. Second. All in favor? Hi. Hi. All opposed. Motion by Council Lawler, seconded by Councilor Copic, motion passes for zero. Now moving on to announcement presentations. We will get our town managers update, Mr. Tierney. Good evening, good evening members of the public and town council. Just a few items to update. As the council knows, I've been updating you on the Community Center grants program. There have been some updates to that. Seven communities have withdrawn from that process so far. We continue to investigate it. It would have to go before the Council for Phase 2 anyway. We have a Keith Lescapo working on estimate for some of the capital work that might need to be done if this is accepted. And we have said the council did approve phase one, which we are engaged in right now. The town received notice about a site readiness grant of the $30,000 from Commerce, Rhode Island. The $30,000 grant would be an IRR consult to rewrite and incorporate the urban renewal regulations in the zoning code. Then, formed us at the state in the town, we'll have an agreement within a few weeks, and we will also advise that the acceptance of the grant would have to go before the town council first. They estimated it would start sometime in December. This would free up our legal staff and not cost us town dollars. It would be if the grant money to pay to get the service completed. The Naregans and Police Department starts their Citizens Police Academy. Surely it's a nine week program that consists of classroom discussions and field demonstrations facilitated by members of the police department and members of the local law enforcement community. The academy will start on Wednesday, October 4th. The classes will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the North Beach Clubhouse. The academy graduation would be held in the first week of December. There's no age requirement. Anyone can sign up for it. However, participants under the age of 18 would need approval of their parent or legal guardian. The applications for the academy can be found at the Town and Erie Gants' webpage and the police department's webpage and additional applications can be found in the lobby of the police station. It is posted on social media as well as, as I said, on the town website and shortly we will have a video that the police department made. One of the last trainings, give someone insight of what the program actually is, and it's an interesting program with all the ages participating. The one I saw it said. And that is about it. Okay, thank you for the updates. All right, next on the agenda is annual reviews. And this is for our town manager. This is the same format that we did this last year per contract. Our town manager can request a public review. So the way this is going to work today is Mr. Tierney can make any comments he wishes. And then we'll go around the council, have any comments and feedback from each council member. So I'll start it off and again, this is, well actually, this is his fourth year. He's completed his fourth year. So I've had the pleasure of serving my whole tenure so far with our town manager or so. Mr. Tierney, if you'd like to make a few words. serving my whole 10 years so far with our town manager or so. Mr. Tarnay, if you'd like to make a few words. I'll be brief. So you pretty much said it. It is, I just started my 50 year, I've completed four years in this position so far. It has been a phenomenal experience. And I think the collaborative working relationship that we have with the staff, the senior management team and the governing body helps make that more productive the work, more productive. And it's definitely a morale improve for these staff. And with that, I'll, and I love the job, still. Okay, thanks. We'll start a concertopicic would you like to. Actually I thought we were just going to set a date to do this so I'm not prepared tonight. Oh I'm sorry. Yeah and understand that we were doing. Okay. So I'd like to reserve time sometime in the future to make my statements. Okay, Council Lawler. So starting your fifth year and I've heard nothing but great things about you from people in the community. As far as responsiveness, Stephen, I recently made requests through you to have you reach out to both the chief of police and the building inspector's office in a way that we could really work on enforcement this year. And I was blown away by the proposal that the chief had and the responsiveness from the building inspector's office and that is all reflection of you Jim. The only thing that you know I'm going to say that I would like to hear more of is just a group text when something in town happens just to let us all know. But if that's the only criticism I can give you that's pretty darn good. Councillor Ferrandi. I can give you that's pretty darn good. Councillor Ferrandi. Thank you, Ever. Jen, I echo some of Jill's comments about, you know, being the propnist and all of that. And I know it's, you know, you're basically kind of like the head of the town as far as the staff goes. You seem to get along well with the staff and all. If there was any more emphasis that you could, for my standpoint, it would be with the, you know, a lot of the quality life ordinances. I know you guys have attended some of the meetings with the chief, so it seems like there's some good cooperation. But, you know, it's almost like it's a drone. It's really dog-ed police and dog-ed effort and everything's issues, especially with the quality of life. So, and you know, we've been talking about the short-term rental ordinances and you know, we have the three student and the four. It's a lot to think about, but you know, I like the way you're trying to just keep a concerted effort and all departments to kind of get involved if need be to get this situation done. Thank you. Be sure all your service. Okay and then just you know we I do have a great work in relationship with our town manager. Again I've spent a pleasure working alongside him the past three years that I've been on council. And I always say he makes a hard job look easy, and I just see the way that he handles situations that are stressful. It's kind of inspirational and something that I aspire to do and be like. And I really appreciate his rapport with the staff, and I know that the staff really look up to him. So thank you for doing the great job that you do. And I hope to work with you for as many years as I'm here on the council. And as long as I'm on council and you're here, I got your six. So that's any other anyone from the public wishing to comment or? Okay. You can, I'm sorry, yeah, Mr. You need to excuse me. Excuse me, you need to. Oh, I'm sorry. My sorry. Please state your name and address. Yeah. Sorry. And I just want to say that I could do it in the school. I can put down a book on the summer. There's a very full one and a panel. And you can use this kind of thing. You can go through the info programs, very helpful. And so I think you should get a lot of praise between old and blinded, and for things that are good to you, so first I would agree with, but since then he's more on the following, and so I think that's all. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Is anyone else from the public? This is comments about our town manager. This is his annual review. So no other comments. We'll move on to the next order of business on our agenda, which is the open forum public comment portion. So again, the comments of citizens addressing the council are neither adopted nor endorsed by the body, but heard as requested. Note that public comment will not be taken on matters involving open litigation. And the rules are to sign into speak. There's a sign in sheet in the back of the chambers. When you come up, you need to state your name and address and speak only on topics, not on the meeting agenda. And there's a three-limit time limit per speaker slash subject matter and everyone needs to be orderly and respectful. So that was the first. The first speaker is kind of ranker. Okay, I have a packet of these papers was the first. The first speaker is kind of record. OK. I have a packet of these papers for each member of the town council when I'm done speaking. I have three documents here, and I'm going to go through them quickly and then give them to you. I received them pursuant to an open records request that I made about two matters. One was the signage at the beach that had racist and unacceptable language on it and the other one was about why the sand at the town what ended up in front of the sand castle house and in response to my open records request. I got this, I'm going to read it. The top says Michelle Kurshaw. Then there's a line that's different from town email line. Almost as somebody did on their Microsoft Word or something. It says from Bill Eckert, Michelle at about 230 pm, a large group of people in the North Pavilion area were observed taking sand and buckets from the beach and placing the sand in a U-haul truck Beach staff responded to the North Pavilion The people taking the sand were Jamaican and We're advised to return the sand back to the beach They had a U-haul truck which had sand inside the bed of the truck. All sand was returned to the beach. All people involved in the incident were advised if they returned to the beach. Narragansett police department would be contacted. Several other vehicles were involved in all buckets without sand returned to the vehicles. The first thing I have to say is if this is true, vehicles were involved in all buckets without sand return to the vehicles. The first thing I have to say is if this is true, the people involved should be fired for putting Narragansettown beach staff at such risk to confront a large group of unknown people with multiple vehicles and shovels without calling the police who were right around the corner, why didn't they get the license plates and why didn't they get the names of these people? How do you know they're back? Maybe it's somebody else. I don't know. Jamaicans, how they know they were Jamaicans. So that's number one, besides the things that didn't pass a rudimentary forensics test about it. This is even a real email, but if this is a faked response to an open records request, I think that's a felony and I hope the town deals with it. The second one that I also got in response to the open records request was an email chain between one non-resident Mark Winchern of six Mary chain lane. What do you know? You can't make this stuff of Kenya. Asking if he could somehow get some extra town from the beach and wondering if there's any way to wiggle your hands at the permits. And I can't imagine somebody smart enough to work in a bank city corp.com and use his bank email address for this kind of mail but you know people of people. I just what's going on and then the third one. You're sorry your time is up. So if you have if you want to give whatever any articles to our town clerk. Second speakers, Dave Avedesian. Hi, Dave Avedesian, 87 Woodward Ave. I'd just like to thank a few people from Saturday because on Saturday most of the events were canceled but the land trust still held their crooked brook hike on Saturday and a lot of people were surprised that that trail even existed in town. We couldn't have done it without DPW helping us. They were really receptive to mowing the trail so they wouldn't be ticked on anyone. And also Logan who was an Eagle, who built a bridge that morning over crooked Brook. So no more people jamming up the Brookwit logs and boards on the road. But now I'd like to talk to you about my usual war I'm parking in town. And the war is to protect citizens' rights. It's amazing how my kids go to school in town. I run a business in town. I get a homestead exemption in town because I'm a full-time resident. Yet I can't park in the pier. So you give me a discount on my taxes because I'm a year-round resident. Yet certain people have New York plates, Florida plates, Massachusetts plates, Connecticut plates, Park their car in the pier. Don't get the homestead exemption. Yet they can park there. I don't understand how that's possible. It's time to treat all residents equal. Some of you even ran on a platform, Resonance First, which residents are first. Shouldn't all residents be first? Shouldn't we treat everyone equal as guaranteed by the US Constitution? This seems like we're creating two different classes of people in town, and I really like that policy reviewed so that we can talk about, instead of limiting parking and other situations, let's first fix the resident issue. So if the beach lot is full on a weekend, as it usually is on a hot day, last weekend in August, when I couldn't park there on the weekend, and I turn around and I go to Boone Street, I go to Casual Street, I go to Othmo, I go to Wanda, there's tons of plenty of parking there. Wide open, and I did send an email to Mr. Tierney and he confirmed he says yeah it appears that yeah these streets are open and there's no one parking there because most of those residents who live in there are weekend warriors right they're not year-round people and even if they were they have dryways they have garages why can't the residents in town park on those streets especially if you're giving me a discount telling me I'm a year-round resident. Once again, please, I hope that you review that ordinance and I hope that you treat all the residents equally. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Sheila Sweeney. Hi, Sheila Sweeney, 39 Sunset Sho to be talking about the community. I'm not going to be talking about the community. I'm not going to be talking about the community. I'm not going to be talking about the community. I'm not going to be talking about the community. I'm not going to be talking about the community. I'm not going. No, it's referring it. So we'll get to that. It's at the end of the meeting. Okay. Thanks. Next speaker is Michelle Katramel. So we can't comment on short-term rental. No, not during open forum public comment. It's on the agenda for the summer. So you need to state your name and address. My name is Michelle Cotronio, 267 Fennel Road, Hope Valley, Rhode Island. Yeah, so as I mentioned, the Open Forum Public Comment, you don't speak on anything that's on the agenda. So short term rentals is on the agenda. So that is not a topic that we're going to be discussing during Open Forum Public Comment. So if that's right, unless you have anything else to speak about. When I talked about the draft that was. No. Not today. No. So next. Next speaker is Brian. The grain? Oh, yeah. OK. Who's that in? Next speaker would be James Tierney. May. I just want to say one thing at the end. I do want to thank each one of you for your courteous, professional, and respectful dealings of me during the whole time I've been here. I want to say that publicly. Thank you. OK. Was that it for this? I think you, thank you, Mr. Tarnie. OK. I will. So Ms. Celeberto, you didn't sign up, but come on. State your name and address. Catherine Celebrato, 48-year-olds caught. I want to talk about access to public records requests. I don't think people realize that as soon as you send a request in, it is automatically public record, because we don't have a system in this town where we publicized all requests and all responses. South Kingston has an open government portal, Providence has that data portal, but 10,000 requests on it. And every time someone sends a request in, it should just automatically go onto a portal. And this is how you prevent duplication. And then the answer would go on the portal also. And a resident could, or anybody, could just look through it and say to somebody ask that question already. And if they have, they don't have to ask, genit again. And again, I just want to emphasize, people don't seem to understand that if say I sent an email to a town council member at their government address, it's public. And they should realize that when they do that, it is public. And that person who received the email can give it out. I think there's some confusion about that. But again, these access to public records request that Jen is getting a lot of. And I think some of them are probably repetitive, because you know there's one of certain few topics in town that anybody cares about. And so I think we have to move toward a system where it is on the website and it's easily accessible to everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh yeah, Miss Sweeney, you can come up. Just state your name and address again and speak on a topic that's not an answer. She will swing the 39 cents at shore drive, Narrow Hampton. Can you just explain when we can talk about it? So I'll address this like as the agenda goes on. Those are, that's new business so we'll just, we'll get to that shortly. Okay, we're good. Thank you. Okay, so moving on to the consent agenda. Do I have a motion to accept the consent agenda? So moved. Second. I'd like to, can I, can I just have a discussion on two just have two quick questions on E2 in E4 Okay, so I'm going I'm going to be taking out we're taking out E2 and E4 so motion to accept the consent agenda minus E2 E4. So moved. Second. All in favor. Aye. Aye. Aye. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawler. Second by Councillor Copic. Emotion passes 4-0. So next on the consent agenda is a motion to grant permission to Angela M. Thompson and David Zoglio Coastal Modular Homes of Rhode Island to transport a modular home through the streets of Narragansett to 24 Wanda Street, assessors Platt C, Law A, on or around October 16, 2023, subject to local and state regulations. So moved. Second. Okay. Discussion from the council. Councilor Ferrandi? Yes, I just have a quick question I don't know if the applicants here, but I had a question on I was as I was reading this It's a modular home and usually you know may come in two two big boxes for this happens to have six Boxes for lack of a better word like a half of a house So I just wanted to make sure that the, it was gonna fit on the property. And you know, there was, and if it had to go on the street, there would prop a precaution taken to, you know, so it wouldn't be a bother to any of the residents. Is there anyone in the building department or somebody with a police? Good. It was signed off by both the building inspector and the chief of police. So it has been approved by both of them. There are building permits and this is just standard practice to move it through the streets of Narragansett. No, I realize that. I just want to say there's five different boxes will maybe store it on the property. Yes, they'll be put together the next day. No, I realize that. I just want to make sure if they're on the street. Okay. Thank you. Any other comments from the council? Okay. All in favor? Aye. Aye. I'm motion by council lawler. Second by Councillor Copic. Motion passes for zero. So E4 is a motion to receive and place on file the zoning board of review rules of procedure that were amended by the board on August 17, 2023. So moved. Second. Discussion. Councillor Ferrandi. This question I had was is there, like, could you tell us what has been added? What what section has been added? Is it the one at the end of the paper where it's the one year prohibition on the you all application? You know what's been added to the what's been amended to the rules that was not were not there before. Very quickly. For applications be perfect. Yes, Councillor McFraendee, you're right. What we, the reason we made the amendment, the reason the Zoning Board made the amendment was that there had been several files languishing in our department over a period of years where we had thought the applicant, the applicant may have pulled it because they wanted to do some changes in design or whatever. And then they never came back to us. So we had a list of them that had been sitting for quite a while. There was a discussion between staff and the count of the zoning board about what we might want to do with those things. And the decision was that we would put it in place a new rule that would indicate that you have to act on your application within a 12 month period of the first submittal. And if nothing is, if it has been languishing for more than 12 months, then it would be considered, you know, obsolete and they would have to restart. So that's essentially it. Okay, that's the only thing that's been added, basically. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Deluca. Any other comments or questions from the council? All in favor. Aye. Aye. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawlor, seconded by Councillor Copic. Motion passes for zero. So moving on to new business. I am going to be pulling two agenda items. The first one is H1. From the police department and the second one is from the town council and that is K4 and that is the short term rental ordinance. If anyone's here for that we're not going to be addressing that today. So moving on to the town manager we have a motion to approve the tentative agreement negotiated between the town and AFL CIO Rhode Island Council 94 local 1179 Some moved second Okay, mr. Tarnay Yes, this is a in the works for approximately six months negotiating with Council 94, which is about 60 employees of the town. And we finally come to an agreement that the negotiating committee thought was fair and equitable. And apparently the union has as well because the TA was presented to them and those who voted voted unanimously and supported it as well. The key features of it is the three contract and effective July 1st of this year with a 4% salary increase and then the subsequent years, 3% each. The mine of changes and increase in prescription glasses and boots, $100 to $200. The inclusion of the State holiday provisions with Juneteenth and other State holidays that are put in place. And some language changes that legal counsel suggested we include because the labor contracts and the rules of the town should be clear to indicate to put it in writing. We don't practice this way, but to make sure that everything's in writing put the union in the town agree to not engage in any discriminatory practices with staff and that's the bulk of it. Thank you. And in this particular union, not to mention it, it would be, I'd be remiss if I didn't. The, during the first year of COVID when the contracts started, they forego a raise voluntarily. The cost of that, the savings of that to the town, was approximately $420,000 over the course of the three-year contract, followed by the elimination of a clerks position, that the first year was a savings of $56,000, but over the rest of 81, if we kept being positioned, 85 the next year also a significant savings to the town. And they should be employed for the work they do. I know you folks do too, because you see what they do when people file complaints and I'll quickly get respond. Thank you. Any comments from the council? I have a question, Jim. Do you know on a ballpark basis of the four years, what that adds to the budget, approximately? I do. Okay. The fiscal impact for the first year of the contract is about $284,000. Okay, thank you. The increase for the second year, again, we don't, some of the things we don't necessarily know, health care for the upcoming years, but the next year we'll be able to $197,000, the next year we'll be able to $216,000. So over the course of a three-year deal, it'll be approximately $1,461,000. Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments? Just to follow up on that, the thank you. Any other comments just to follow up on that to the the amount for this fiscal year was budgeted in preparation for the resolution of the contract rate. Yes, the actual salary budget was cap. We have capped at four. Just want to make sure people know that. Absolutely. Okay. Any other questions? Anyone from the public? Miss Elberto? Catherine's Celebrity 40, I don't necessarily believe that eliminating positions is a good thing. I'd really like to know what the effect eliminating position had on the rest of the people who work in that union. And I don't think anybody's here. If there was, maybe they could tell us, they forwent a raise saving. How much money did you say? Approximately 420,000. Did anybody else that year, you know, forego a raise, any other union, any other department, is this contract going to make up for the money they did? And I mean, we have rampant inflation here. So I don't know that, you know, patent yourself on the back because you've eliminated a position and you've kept the raises to 4% and 3% when inflation is what if the 8% of something, I don't know, I'm getting 9.2% on a stupid bond I have. So I know inflation is high. Mortgage rates are like 7%. I don't know how this is necessarily a good thing. Keeping raises down now at this time and especially eliminate a position. Thank you. Anyone else from the public? Wishing a comment. I see a new one. Any? No discussion? All in favor? Aye. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawler, seconded by Councillor Copic, motion passes for zero. Next up from the Public Works Department, we have a motion to introduce, read, pass and accept as a first reading, an ordinance amendment in chapter 62 of the code of ordinances of the town of Narragance at Rhode Island entitled, an ordinance in relation to solid waste. So moved. Second. Okay. I'll just kind of just give this a brief description because I took a little bit of time for me to understand this one. So we, as a town, use the Rose Hill Transfer Station. And then the town of Narragansett was counting apartments as a residential. So we're supposed to be following the ordinances of South Kingston and in South Kingston they count apartments as commercial. So just the rates are different. So the rates from residential to commercial is $58 versus $100. So the change will be to the haulers. And it's for the haulers to raise the rate. So that's just really getting our ordinance in line with what really should have been. So do I have any questions from the council? Does that clear? Anyone from the public? All right. All in favor? I. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawler, seconded by Councillor Copic. Motion passes for zero. Next we have a motion from the police department. It's a motion to approve the annual contract for technical support for the police department's computer software system with tri-text software systems, central square in the amount of 22,847 dollars. That's a poll. We pulled that one. I'm sorry. H1. H1 we pulled. Oh, H1. I'm sorry. That was I had the wrong one. Okay. So we did pull that one. So H2 is we will address that one. So that's a motion to read, pass and adopt as a second reading amendments to chapter 38 entitled law enforcement of the Narragansett Code of Ordinances specifically to amend section 38-23 entitled qualifications for appointment to the police department at the police departments request. So moved. Second. Okay. This is a second reading so we usually don't take comment on second reading if the council members just want to vote on it or if they have any comments they'd like to make as the time but all in favor aye aye aye all opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawler, seconded by Councillor Copac, motion passes for zero. Next up from the community development department is a motion to accept a grant of 27,000 from FEMA through RIMA, from the hazard mitigation grant program DR-4505 to update the town's strategy for reducing risks from natural hazards in their against at Rhode Island and authorize the town manager to sign the acceptance documents after review by the solicitor. So moved. Second. Okay. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Aye. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawlor, seconded by Councillor Copic, motion passes for zero. Next is a motion to award the bid for the local hazard mitigation plan update to the lowest bidder, Weston and Stampton in the amount of $27,000 at the end and at their quoted hourly rates. So moved. Second. Okay. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawler. Second by Councillor Covec. Motion passes for zero. Next, we have a motion to approve the town sending a letter of objection to RIDM regarding the application to alter, disturb freshwater wetlands at assessors Platte, lot 453, zero Baltimore Avenue as the project is presented. So moved. Second. Okay. I'm going to let our town manager talk about this one. There were two primary concerns that the commission had with this application. It was objectionable because it presents a threat to the water quality and by extension a possible threat to human health in the environment. The town engineers will need more time, adequate time to evaluate the offsite impacts from this development in terms of additional storm water flow in the adjacent woodland area. So as the plan is presented now, the Conservation Commission, they do not agree with it going forward and its current state, DM probably, or direct amendments to it for resubmission, but we do support the letter. Thank you. Any comments from the council? Anyone from the public? All in favor? Aye. Aye. All opposed. Motion by council law. Second by Councillor Copic. Motion passes for zero. Next up from the engineering department. We have a couple of motions for the first one is a motion to approve, ratify and confirm. Change order number five with EW Berman incorporated for the Mori Luchins Memorial Library renovation project and the amount of 33,471 dollars. So moved. Second. Okay. So, I'm going to move on to the the commission project and the amount of $33,471. So moved. Second. Okay. Mr. Terry, do you just want to make any comments on this? I think this is just a standard housekeeping and transparency. Yes, when we started this project with onist representative on site, just like we did with the police station and the motor roller contract Every change you are just in the interest of transparency will bring to the council to be advised to it But every chain none of the change orders are delaying the project at all. They're approved ratified confirm Usually and we sign off on them and then they go before the council So not to repeat the project. Thank you any go before the council for. So it's not too impede to project it. Thank you. Any comments from the council? And this is within budget. It is. Thank you. Okay, all in favor? Hi, all opposed. Motion by council lawler, second by councilor Copac, motion passes for zero. Next we have a motion to award the bid for the more elusions, memorial library renovation project, loose fittings to three vendors. She and's office interiors incorporated at their submitted bid prices for bid items, 3, 13 and 16, and the sum total amount of $12,349 to Robert H. Lordd Company Incorporated at their submitted bid prices for bid items, 5, 8, 9, 10, 14, and 17 in the sum total amount of $78,168 and to WB Mason company at their submitted bid prices for bid items 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 15 in the sum total amount of $35,774. The combined total for the three contract awards is $126,291. So moved. Second. Any discussion from the council? Oh, actually, Mr. Tierney, do you want to just kind of go over this one just so that it's on? This one is funded from the Library donation account and there is sufficient balance in that account, Dan. Thank you. Comments from the council. Okay. All right, from the public. Miss Celebrdo, this've already been done. And... Catherine Celebrito, 48 hours, call out. I don't have a comment about this item. I have a comment about the item before you didn't go to the public. We don't need to go. That was just a proof ratifying confirm. We don't do that for the refer-for-ratifour. I changed order and usually go to the public for the change order. It's already been passed. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. this is already going through and right but it's correct but it's going through the we have the we do have an administrative procedure yes yes if the change orders we're going to certain limit it needs to be done by with the input of the owners representative of project managing it's approved and does not necessarily need council approval to approve it right then and then it do okay I just want to say that in the past you've always going to the public about change orders This is for the library practice is different. This is already this that they haven't they have the library is Done deal I guess Okay, so getting back to the motion all in favor I opposed Motion by council law their seconded by Councillor Copac motion passes for zero. So next on the agenda is a motion to read, pass and adopt as a second reading an ordinance in amendment of chapter 78, article two of the code of ordinances of the town of Narragansett Road Island entitled Utilities, Water Rates, and Charges. So moved. Second. OK, this one is going to need amendments. So there was a small typo in the body of the language. So I'm going to make it a amendment to change the charge from $3.32 to $3.22. Do I have a second on that? Second. Okay, so that's less money. Okay, any discussion? It's a second ring, so we're making just that amendment. All in favor? Aye. Aye. I'll post. Now, going back to the main motion. Actually, going back to the main motion as amended, all in favor. Aye. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawler, second by Councillor Copic, motion passes 4-0. Moving on to the town council, we have a motion to direct the town manager to explore options to procure part-time professional grant writer services. So moved. Do we miss J4? We missed J4. Sorry about that. Okay. Let me go back to J4. So we have another second reading. So it's a motion to read past and adopt as a second reading an ordinance in amendment of chapter 78, Article 3 of the Code of code of ordinance of the town of Narragansett, Rhode Island entitled utilities sewer so moved second All in favor. I all opposed motion by council law their second by councilor Copic motion passes for zero So we'll move on to town council agenda items we have a motion to direct the town manager to explore Options to procure part-time professional grant writer services. So moved. So again. Okay, this is coming from Council Lawler. Would you like to introduce this one? Yes. Sure. Grant writing is an art and the chief is here and I'd like to compliment Captain Cuddle for always having the art to be able to get some very large grants. However, our department heads are very busy and we give them a lot of work to do and they might not be trained in the special art of grant writing. So what this will allow is for Jim to take a look at opportunities to bring in a professional grant writer at a part-time basis to be able to fulfill the need and take away the burden from the department heads. Oftentimes we, I was at a parks and rec meeting this week and we were talking about special grants for recreation. We shouldn't be asking the director of parks and recreation to constantly be going on websites and looking for opportunities for recreation grants. This person will then satisfy that need and it will be a great help to the town for funding. I know Jim won an ad-i-thing at all. I think this is a good approach for it to research the options. We use GCA for some of the stuff now that we'll speak with them and we'll come back with a concise report and a recommendation. Thank you. Okay, any discussion from the council? I would just say we have had some success, not just from the chief, but from virtually every single department in terms of obtaining grants. I wonder if another way to look at it when you're doing your research would be to see if there's grant writing classes that would help. Because I think one of the problems with a part-time grant writer is that they have to have, like we have to have at least some knowledge, which could be a dangerous thing, of every single department. And I think that is a little bit difficult. So I just, I think we might want to expand the idea to include possibly classes for the folks in the departments who actually do this. It's not always the directors who do it either. There's other folks who are involved as well. So a couple of things to respond to that, Deb. South Kingston for example, hired on a part-time grant writer and they within the first few months paid for that in twofold. And we do have some classes. I know Jim has sent out information for classes for grant writing from the DEM, Jim. Someone sent out a class that anyone could get had on and take, but it's. I don't recall the agency. Yeah, it was recent not long ago, but it's just taking away the burden. And I guess it is not. And we've seen the success from our sister town. So why not have success here as well? And I concur with Deb that although I highlighted the chief because he's here often with having large grants. So we have had success in other departments. Mike had one tonight. But I'd like to see more grants less money spending from taxpayers. It's a good thing. Thank you, Councillor Ferrandi. Any comments or feedback? Yeah, I think it can be a good collaboration. I mean, even though our staff is well, adept at getting some of these grants, maybe just have it an extra person there. They both can learn from each other and try to enhance it. But I think it's a good idea. Thank you. So I think the staff does a great job. I know a lot of times I'll have a grant that comes across my email and I'll just forward it. And they've already been working on it. So thank you to the staff. Thank you to our town manager. Again, this is just for our town manager to explore options, and that could be in the also like contract services. So it is something that he's going to be looking into if we approve this. So I support it. So with anyone from the public wishing to comment, Miss Celebrato? Captain Celebrato, 48-0's caught. Grant writing is not in anyone's specs, so you can't ask them to do it. You could ask a director because, thank you pretty much, been doing it, and you told him to do. But the directors don't have time to do this. And I just think you'd being penny wise in dollar foolish. I think you should just put out a, whatever it is that you put out. We need a pot time grant, right? To put it out, post it as a job. Into story. You know, you're not going to be sending people to classes so they can learn how to write grants. And what are they going gonna be on the internet trying to find grants. It's nonsense. We can get there's so much money out there. All the state departments have grant writers. That's how they get their money. And I don't know why we're not doing it. We can't rely on staff and you can't rely on the directors because they don't have the time. Just hire a pot time person who has experience to do doing this. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else from the public wishing to speak on message on item? Okay. Seeing none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. All opposed. Motion by council lawler, second by Councillor Copic. Motion passes for zero. Next we have a motion to refer the drafting of a fertilizer ordinance to the Conservation Commission. So moved. Second. Thank you. All right. And just to give a little brief background on this, this is just a referral. So this, I, you know, just many coastal communities have implemented fertilizer ordinances. You know, I live on the Salpon. So I've experienced seeing how bad the water quality coastal communities have implemented fertilizer ordinances. I live on the Salpon, so I've experienced seeing how bad the water quality has become. I mean, this summer, this was some of the worst water quality that we've had. And of course, there's a lot of, people go clam digging, people go, they do their recreational activities there. And Lawn fertilizer is actually one of the several threats that makes the pond susceptible to utrophication, which depletes the oxygen and destroys microorganisms and causes the sulfur smell in the dead mud flat. So a lot of times when we smell like the, you know, that kind of smells like, you know, rod eggs, it's because our pond or our saltwater pond is suffering from, you know, damage. So the goal of this ordinance is gonna be twofold. It's gonna create awareness of how nutrients that run off into the pond can damage ecosystems and to establish more sustainable management practices to protect our fisheries and marshes ensuring the health and safety of the public. So this one was an ordinance that I really was looking to have last term. It didn't really come to fruition. So I'm hoping the council will support this. I know Councillor Copec is an advocate of this and she has a few words to say on this topic or we can just Well, I just want to you know any kind of runoff that goes into our waterways And we have a lot of it and it's problematic you know Mr. Gerhard has talked about this before It's it's it's damaging to damaging to the environment and it needs to be, we need to take a look at how to fix that. In addition, I think I'm not sure, you said this ever, but one of the objectives of this motion is also to provide information and some modifications in the way that people handle what they handle as far as they are. Their lawns are concerned. We're going to try and provide some information that helps people understand what they can do in lieu of using fertilizer. I'll tell you straight out, first thing to do is let your grass grow a little longer because you know, long grass kills weeds. So it's just kind of an easy thing to do. But anyway, I'm in full support of this. Okay, so this is for any other council comments. Yeah, I appreciate both of your efforts on this. Obviously, the environment, especially for Deb, is one of the main things that she speaks to here and I do believe it's important. However, I look at this very much in the same scope that I looked at with the electric program, the Council chose electric company to come in and to be the supplier for the town. I think it's an overreach of on government's part to be able to tell residents what they can, they cannot use on their lawns. So I would be in favor of having an awareness program. The Salt Pond is our our I don't know we we definitely would be able to have residents learn more about the Salt Pond and runoff. I think that'd be an important thing. So I would suggest that we have the Conservation Commission be able to have it in awareness day. They can have it in the large boardroom where we have the ability to have YouTube live and those who are interested in it could be able to learn more. But again, it just like with the electric, this is just an overreach on government. I do believe a lot of people would want to be willing to do this, but I don't think we should be made to do something like this. Thank you. Councilor Forenzi. The way I feel about this is, you know, is this, is it, we, I didn't see any background information from the Conservation Committee, so I'm assuming it's in its infancy at this point, and so they don't have anything. They haven't seen it. So they're not seeing it. This is just a motion to refer it. So it's like it does come, so we refer it. It comes back, they come up, they would come up with with a draft ordinance, so it'd have to come back here. So we're just referring this to them. So again, it's something that most coastal communities have. It's something that is important to the environment. Again, like the water quality is important here. We are coastal town. So it's not, I don't believe it's a government overreach. I think it's just in line with just preserving our precious resources. So the thing I'd be interested in is would these be chemicals that are illegal and people using them or would these be normal chemicals that people would use every day? And what's the, you know, it seems like you could get into a whole study to find out water quality and all that kind of stuff. So was it, would they have a list of chemicals that they say, well, these are bad because they're illegal or there's, you know, that's for them to decide and figure out. Yeah, it is. So that's what we're referring in. If it comes back and we don't like what they have to say, we don't come back to the council. So this is just to refer it. The other point is that there are alternatives. And I think that, you know, one of the things we would expect from the Conservation Commission is that they come back and say, you know, here's what's harmful. Here's what's not to maintain your law. And so, which is, you know, essentially what this is about. So I think that's what we're looking for is for that kind of information. And also, you know, the idea of creating the fertilizer ordinances is to do exactly that, to say, these are harmful to the environment. These are harmful, they're even harmful to your yard, frankly. And they're extremely harmful to water. And since we are a town surrounded by water on three sides, we need to be cognizant of that, and we need to make sure that we're not adding to the problem or, you know, and that people need to understand it. It's, you know, these are not things that have been common in the past, but look at what it's done to our environment. So I'd say it's time for us to try and fix that. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I'm more for more of an awareness. And you know, I mean, where does it actually go with the end? You know, we're going to tell people they can't use a certain type of fertilizer. And whereabouts in town, if it doesn't, you know, I mean, I guess everything drains into the ocean at some point. So I wish there was a few more details about it. I'm fine with the awareness. You know in the 1960s DDT was banned and now we have a very very you know healthy osprey among other you know bird birds available today and if we had not done that there would be no osprey. So I mean this is what we're talking about. We're talking about fish in the water we're talking about plankton we're talking about things that you know we don't necessarily think about, but they're affected by something as sort of unnecessary as fertilizer frankly. Okay, thank you. All right, well, so again, so this is referring. So we don't take public comment on referring anything to any referrals or second readings, but I do wanna thank all the residents who emailed in support of this fertilizer ordinance so at this point I guess we'll just take the council vote. So all in favor? Aye. All opposed? No. No. Okay motion by council lawler, seconded by Councillor Copec, motion fails to to. All right, last item on the agenda is a motion to adopt a resolution in support of Rhode Island Day at Vicksburg National Military Park. So moved. Second. Okay, so I will discuss this one here. So this is a motion for the resolution. It is, we actually, Mr. Robert Grandchamp back in March had requested this resolution and support. He is a native Rhode Islander, and he is a Civil War historian and author. So this is motion that, so this on Novemberth, 2023, I'll just give you some background on it. The National Park Service will be rededicating the memorial to the seventh Rhode Island volunteers at Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Company G of the seventh was known as the Narragansett Guards and was recruited in South Kingston, Narragansett being a part of the town during the Civil War. There is a memorial tablet to the guards outside of the council chambers. As a number of men from the town of Narragansett, from South Kingston and Narragansett gave their lives in the campaign. The town of Narragansett would like to adopt a resolution and support of Rhode Island Day at Vicksburg, Mississippi. So I'll read the dedication, the memorial. So it's a resolution declaring November 18th, 2023, as Rhode Island Day, at Vicksburg National Military Park and the rededication of the memorial to the seven Rhode Island volunteers. Whereas the town of Narragansett was a part of South King's Town during the Civil War. And whereas the Seventh Rhode Island volunteers was recruited in the summer of 1862 and whereas the men of South Kingstown formed the Narragansett Guards to serve the Union cause and whereas the Narragansett Guards formed Company G of the Seventh Rhode, and whereas the seventh Rhode Islands fought in the battles of Friedrichsburg, Vicksburg, Jackson, Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, Hatches Run, Weldon Railroad, and Polar Spring Church. And whereas one in five men died, serving in the seventh Rhode Islands, and whereas the in five men died serving in the seventh Rhode Island and whereas the seventh Rhode Island suffered terribly in the 1863 Mississippi campaign and whereas the filing members of the Narragansett Guards died as a result of their service in the Mississippi campaign. Private Wonton G Austin, private Henry Raymond, private, as Cameron, private Charles E. Chaplin, Champlin, private Jonathan R. Clark, private William, finally, private Charles W. Gardner, private Horace D. Healey, first sergeant John K. Hull, Private Alicia K. G. May, Private Randall Sysin Jr., Private William Torrey, Torji, and whereas in 1908, the veterans of the 7th Rhode Island dedicated a memorial to their regiment at Vicksburg National Military Park. Now therefore be it resolved that the town of Narragansett declares November 18, 2023 to be Rhode Island Day at Vicksburg National Military Park in the rededication of the 7th Rhode Island volunteers. Adopted this day of September 18th, 2023. Thank you. So that was it. And Mr. Tarot. So this will be just sent. We'll contact. OK. Thank you. It's up to be should vote on it, though. Oh, yeah. All in favor? Hi. I. I. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lothar. Seconded by Councillor Copac. Motion passes for zero. So that is the last item on the agenda. Council President. Yeah. May I ask? I was going to. I didn't. It was off. Mark. Mark are we are we able to add an agenda item on for we received a Information post just gonna read it next meeting Thank you. It was it was supposed to be a during comments. So it's not gonna make a difference so All right, so do I have a motion to adjourn so moved All in favor I all opposed Aye. All opposed. Motion by Councillor Lawlor, seconded by Councillor Copec, motion passes 4-0.