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I'd like to call the meeting to order the meeting of the town budget public hearing. And the first order of business is that we are going to ask the town council and the budget commission to call their meeting to order so that they're able to speak as part of a regular meeting and answer questions.

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I can call the roll if you like. Mr. Gens, Mr. Trambley, Ms. Lee, Mr. Rhodes, and Ms. Fence, like those

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members of our council for the Budget Commission members, Mr. Sarder. Mr. Hemendway. It's not

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here, Mr. Haskins. Not here, Ms. Phillips. And Mr. Slattery. Not here. So we do not have a core

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off the budget question.

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Let's continue by doing the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Please stand.

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I know I

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know most of the people in the room, but for those of you who don't know me, my name is Leo Manelli and I've been in

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time resident of Charlestown, and the reason that I'm telling you that actually is because

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I love Charlestown, and one of the things I noticed when I travel around the state, and

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I do that because I'm originally from Providence and know a lot of people around the state,

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is I find people like the town that they come from, wherever it might be, but when you talk

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to people in Charlestown, they love the town where they come from, and I really notice that

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that's a difference, and that's the way I feel about Charlestown, and I want to convey that

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you and I hope that you feel the same way.

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And the other thing that kind of goes along with that, in my estimation, is something that

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I used to talk about in another organization that I belong to, and that is that we are

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to all work to try to leave this place a little better than we found it.

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And if we all do that and do it in a civilized manner, I think we can really accomplish a lot.

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Now I realize when you talk about leaving things a little better than what you found it,

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That can be subjective.

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How much money you're going to spend?

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You're going to do this.

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Or you're going to do that.

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But by civil discourse and then bringing things to a vote, when you have a consensus,

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we can, in fact, make progress.

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And that's what we're trying to do with each and every meeting that we conduct.

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The one of the announcements I want to make is that when you come, when you're going

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to speak, please come to the microphone and stand fairly close to the microphone.

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That's the way these systems work.

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and stage your name clearly for the record, so that it is recorded properly and that Amy

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our town clerk gets the correct information.

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I'd like to explain a little bit about some of the things that we have to observe tonight.

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There are rules and procedures, and the first one is that 10 electors shall constitute a

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quorum, so we have at least 10 people here, but the votes will only be taken on a particular

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If a quorum of 50 people has been reached, and in fact we have exactly 50 people signed here tonight. That includes me.

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Sufficient copies of the budget have been prepared, and if you would still like to get up and get copies of the budget or the agenda they're over there on my right hand side.

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And then I'd like you to note the fact that on or before a Monday, May 9th, 2016, the town council will make a final revision to the budget and adopt the same to be placed on the ballot for the all day referendum.

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The town clerk will immediately the next day submit the questions to the board of elections for ballot printing.

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I don't before May 27, 2016 the town clerk will publish and post the warrant for the all-day referendum.

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The electors of the town will vote on the budget at the financial referendum to be held on Monday, June 6, 2016 at the town hall.

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And that will be the voting place for all of the people in town.

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The poll will reopen from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., the vote is an approval or rejection of the municipal budget and the questions or petitions on the ballot.

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I've already talked about civility in our conversation and debate.

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I hope that you will observe that.

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I'd also like to talk about limiting the debate just so that everyone gets a chance to speak.

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It's somewhat similar to the way that we did it last year.

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And that is, those people who are introducing a subject to get five or seven or eight minutes to introduce the subject, whether it be the budget or the petition.

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And then each person, I would request take just three minutes to make their point.

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And really, if you think about it, you can say whether you're in favor or not in favor of something or make a point in three minutes.

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If you need more time than that, I would request that you allow time for other people to speak for the first time.

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And then you can come back and we'll stay as long as you would like in order to have everybody

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speak to every subject that they would like to.

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I'd like to accept the motion to open the public hearing.

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Anyone?

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Seconded?

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Seconded?

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Seconded?

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So the public hearing is opened and the first item on the agenda is the tentative 2016-17 municipal

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budget of $13,491,329. And the petition and the budget report will be given by Dick

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Sotter, and then we'll go from there.

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That working?

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Yes.

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Yes, OK. My name is Dick Sotter. I'm Chairman of the Budget Commission. And late March,

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we sent to the town council, I recommended budget for the year, and they modified it slightly.

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However, the final recommended operating budget with the adjustment made by the town council is 27,602,768 dollars, and that includes the board of education as well as local government expenditures.

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That is an increase total expenditures of 2.39 percent,

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the recommended budget with an increase

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of 2.39 percent requires an additional $683,424 above the 2016 budget.

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There's a small tax level increase of $363,525 to fund the budget.

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that is the additional money that needs to be raised from taxation after all the other increased

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revenues of the town are considered. The bottom line is that this requires an estimated tax

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level increase of 1 percent, 1.08 percent, and an estimated rate of $10.22 per thousand.

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I believe

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The major changes in the budget are significant because there is an investment this year proposed for

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essentially capital investment in roads. The Buckheadbrook road project that was put out for engineering a year or so ago is now in the budget for its first phase of construction of a million dollars.

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We've recommended increasing the annual overlay

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road resurfacing program.

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We increased by $100,000 to $250,000.

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And additionally, that somebody's

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be set aside for engineering for an additional

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road project in the future.

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And that's King's Factory Road,

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which would be a follow on subsequent

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completing

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vertical road.

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That we would anticipate be engineered next year

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and probably be two or three years down the road before actual work would be completed.

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The only other large projects have to do with the police vehicle and equipment replacement at

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150,000 in the town hall emergency power generator at 110,000.

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The reason for that, they currently have in this 28 years old, and it will only do half the building,

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so an emergency it simply does work.

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The, speaking again, toward the tax rate, essentially that continues to maintain us in the position we've had for a number of years, we're in the lowest tier of tax rates in the state of Rhode Island.

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Depending on which tax classification you look at, we are either second from the bottom up to fifth from the bottom of taxes in the state of Rhode Island.

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We have a $2.33 billion grant list which supports those activities.

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So our cash rate remains low.

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We have a fund balance, an undersigned fund balance, and that money is available for cash flow.

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And on an anticipated expenses, it's expected generally and recommended by the auditor to have between 15 to 25 percent of our budget.

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hours is currently at 19 percent, and we have used some limited amount of those funds to offset tax increases in this current budget.

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A few personnel changes in the budget as well. There are three reclassifications of positions, the wastewater manager, the geographic information systems manager, and the tax collector.

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They are additionally is the appointment of a part-time plumbing inspector in the building department.

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Building departments had a very significant increase in workload and revenue,

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and they do need additional code enforcement people.

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So we recommend that I believe it's $13,000 for our plumbing inspector.

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Additionally, there's a part-time maintainer in the public works department.

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I've been working predominantly in recreation area as a public works maintainer,

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moving from part time to full time and I don't recall the last time we proved a new full time.

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So that essentially is the budget.

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Hopefully, modest, we tend to try to be the budget

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commission as quite conservative and we work to examine each budget, anticipate, expenditure,

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each request, carefully, each year to try to maintain our tax rates at the levels that we

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have in the past and continue to do so.

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The Residential Collection Center, the Recitling Center, is budget $25,000, and that's an enterprise

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fund, which means it's not in the general fund budget that you're discussing tonight.

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It's a separate enterprise fund, which works essentially as a private business.

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The same is true of the Coastal Pond Commission, which is the Harbor Master and all of

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activities, that's at 61,894, and that is fully funded by more increased paid by people

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who are more in the ponds. So that's essentially the budget and the impact, it's a 1.08% tax increase,

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and we believe we'll recommend it to the council.

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There was a list for folks to sign up to

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speak, and there was no one signed up. Apparently no one signed up to speak.

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Regarding the budget, is there anyone who would like to speak on the budget,

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as Dick a question or other members of the Budget Commission.

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If they are not going once, going twice, going three times this portion of the hearing

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is closed, and we will proceed to the next portion of the hearing, which is the petition.

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And that petition reads, shall the town treasure and the president of the town council

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be authorized pursuant to Rhode Island code, to issue and refund from time to time bonds,

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notes, and other evidences of indebtedness in an amount not to exceed $1,750,000 to finance

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the acquisition, maintenance, and capital projects of two properties.

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The general stand-in in at 415 old post-road, 6.85 acres, plot 13, lot 1, purchase price

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1,325,000 dollars, and 2.3 acre lot on old post-road, plot 13, lot 5, purchase price

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$163,000 and maintenance capital fund of $262,000 or any interest therein alone are in conjunction with federal agencies, state agencies,

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these land trusts or preservation organizations or non-profit organizations, where the acquisition

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of said listed properties, the terms, details, and conditions of such bonds, notes, or

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other evidence of indebtedness to be set by resolution of the town council or by the town

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treasurer and the president of the town council in the absence of such resolution.

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Now, I have a short explanation of that particular petition, and it says, acquire the general

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standing in and one adjacent property for preservation and enhancement of our community village center.

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It is envisioned that another.

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Online-profit citizens organization would be created to manage, develop and promote community values, uses, and activities in the village.

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In vision activities include historic preservation, education, commerce that serves our community, entrepreneurial, incubator, business space, social events, and activities to guide and promote the continued development of the child's town central village, while preserving its character.

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I understand that Kickstarter is going to introduce that subject also.

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Thank you,

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Dick.

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Thank you, Dick Sarder.

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Again, I've clarified that this is absolutely not in my role as budget chairman,

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and it's a totally separate endeavor that became involved in about a year or go.

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I remember the friends of the General of Stanton Inn, a number of other members,

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are in the audience.

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And we'll like to thank everybody for the opportunity to present this.

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Most of you will recall about a year or so ago there were some activities

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through the regard to the General St. Ninn and Proposal Sports use.

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That I thought we're on appropriate apparently.

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The town did also, it was ultimately turned down.

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And a general character with regard to a number of facilities similar to the General St. Ninn.

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There's a cavern and another place in our community,

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all of which seem to have been having commercial difficulties over the years.

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The combination of those two things, plus the fact that in Charles Town probably the most

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single, most visible location we have in our community is that particular piece of property,

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particularly people driving through or going through our community.

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Also throughout the state, probably the one thing that people do know about Charles Town

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beyond beaches is the general standing in.

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And it is a location.

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So, those things in the background, a number of us started having conversations, is there

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some way that we could work to preserve that and enhance our characteristic, our signature

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or village center, which hasn't happened by other means in the past.

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And one of the concerns was to preserve the facilities and the artifacts that exist there,

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promote community events around holidays and seasonal activities and seasonal tourism promotions,

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the education and to do some fundraising against the economic development as well.

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Our goals quickly were, you know, have a viable central village preservation, and then we said,

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well, how can this work? And we talked about this significantly, and there's, we felt there was no other way

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than it could work other than if the town were a partner, if the town, if the town essentially owned the facility.

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But then we said, well, what if the kind of owns the facility, is it going to become an endless money pit?

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And we were concerned about that as well.

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So the argument was, and part of the conversation was, what can we do to ensure that that does not occur?

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And from that was a discussion about forming the group, friends of the general stand-in, and that has occurred.

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We've been conducting public meetings for several months.

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There was quite a lot of interest in the community and the remains.

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So we have become a Rhode Island nonprofit corporation.

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And we were also responsible for the development and circulation of the petition.

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As you know, the petition requires 200 signatures.

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We turned in 351 that were valid.

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One of the significant reasons for forming the organization was to have an organization which would have the capability of sustaining these facilities without heavy annual expenditures by the town, so the money pit idea, and we felt that also with all the skills that exist in our community and the numbers of people that exist in our community who are interested, that we would have sufficient citizens support to make that a reality.

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We believe we've done that, in addition to forming and doing the petition, we've been meeting regularly, we have formed a number of committees.

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And those committees have examined the history,

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the buildings and properties, the finances, the communications group.

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And most recently we've formed a small group that is researching the flea market activities that take place there in how it's running, all of the things associated with that.

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those are preparatory to what might happen in the future.

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The necessity is that the town would acquire and own the properties.

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We have not found any way that it would be possible to do otherwise.

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On the other hand, we did some recent checking.

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About six or seven other towns that we've called recently,

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I've already found a dozen buildings and properties own specifically by the municipalities and operated by management groups or non-profits.

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In fact, a lot of them are called friends of whatever the particular event is.

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Probably one of the ones that you would most clearly recognize is the Casino and Narraganset.

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it, that's owned by the town of Nier against it, and it's operated by a group to keep it

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to sustain it. So we have a number of those in the community, it's not at all unusual,

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and I'm surprised by that, because at first I thought it might be, but it's very common occurrence

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to preserve historic facilities by a partnership between the municipality and a group of people

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were really to sustain it.

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The, you had a brief description of what the bond issue would be, it would be 1,750,000

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dollars.

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So, without going into that again, I'll let you have a question to be happy to answer it.

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It's a 1,035 for the M, 163,000 for the parking lot, capital maintenance of 262,000.

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that would be an account for any investment and repairs that were needed.

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The other side of that is debt service when you bond funds you have to pay for it.

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So we were very concerned about that, and we determined what the annual payments would be based

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upon all the costs associated with it.

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And the costs include issuing the bonds, advertising, foregone taxation by public ownership

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If the community owns it, there's a grand total

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about $16,000 per year in taxes that come in now

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that wouldn't, so we capitalize that.

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We put that in the number as well,

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and then finally, principle and interest

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just like your mortgage.

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The total of all of those things comes to $143,189

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per year, and the impact on taxation

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will be six cents.

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The tax rate would go up by six cents.

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If nothing in the world changed other than that,

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It would be a six-cent increase.

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We oftentimes in Charleston use a $300,000 value home,

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assess value home, to determine tax impacts,

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and at six cents, that would be $18 per year,

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or $1.5 a month.

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It's easy enough to figure out for your own property.

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The essential proposal is acquisition ownership

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funded by the town.

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It becomes town property, becomes an asset of the town.

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The friends of the General Stanton in would contract, would offer to contract with the town,

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to manage, operate the programs and improvements with the goal of fiscal sustainability

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so that the property would not be an annual drain.

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It would always have the capital costs associated with, but of course it would always have the capital,

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the value associated with owning probably the most central visible property in our community.

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To

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complete this activity on the part of our organization requires a lot of information we made to the public and not a lot has been transmitted as yet

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One of the reasons for that is we've been developing the information and trying to be certain that what we say is accurate and correct

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And secondly, right now most of the material that is imprinted form or other form is actually out being done

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So, the public information campaign is really only going to be about three weeks before the

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lecture from about the 15th to June 6th, will be the time of which we will get as much

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of this information out as we can, and of course, we need to answer questions tonight as best

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we can.

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There are also two open houses, tours being planned at the General Stanton Inn, and that's

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June 4th and 5th Saturday in Sunday from 10am to 3pm, most people who go through our surprise

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based on what they've heard from their friends and neighbors when they go through and actually look at the condition of the facilities.

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We found them to be in good condition.

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We've not, it's an old, the parts of the building are 1667, so you're not meeting 2015 codes that's impossible.

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But the building itself has been maintained and is a good working condition.

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We'll talk further about that as time goes on.

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So, I'm told also that good offices of Ellen Olson here that we may, may in fact have some people from the near-against at Flavent Drunk or on our Sunday, the Blue Jack, though, at our Sunday open house.

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That is essentially the proposal, it is a strong effort on our part to try to preserve

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this facility, use of education, use of preturism, use it to as a central location in

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our community to have events there that include seasonal events, holiday events, in other

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words, get our community back using it again, as perhaps they did 20 or 30 years ago and

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In the summer time, seasonally, obviously tourism is very important.

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We will have other speakers who will talk to other parts of that, and I would like to

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call one of them, which is Pam Lyons, who speak about the historic part of the end, and

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he'll give you some background as to why we believe this activity should take place in our

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community.

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We think it's a great investment in our future.

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Could I interrupt for one second, Pam, before you begin?

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I just want to find out how many people have signed up to speak and there are three people who have signed up to speak.

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So I just want you to keep that in mind because I know you have several other speakers besides Pam, right?

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One other one?

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Okay.

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And I realize that we want to use this venue to get some information out to the public.

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And I'm just trying to think about timing here.

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So there are three people scheduled to speak and I don't know if there are any more who want to speak after that.

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But go ahead Pam.

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So who is General Joseph Stanton?

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Some of you may know a little bit about him,

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but some of us know an awful lot about him.

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And I just want to share just a very concise history of who this man was.

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A little bit about his family. I'll keep it short.

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Some of you know I get a little carried away with history.

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But I just want to start with 1667.

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The six, don't worry, it's only one page.

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My husband said, oh no.

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The 1667 room of the General Standing Inn is one of the oldest structures

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that still stands in the state of Rhode Island.

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It was put there by Thomas Stanton, one of our earliest ancestors

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who came here to this area as an Indian interpreter

283
00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,120
for John Winthrop Jr. of Plymouth Colony.

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He came here to mediate between the English and the Native Americans.

285
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During King Phillips-4 in 1667, the structure was spared because of that respect that the Native

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Americans held for Thomas.

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Coming known as Thomas the interpreter by 1643, the United colonies appointed Stanton as

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their official liaison.

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In the late 1600s and through the 1700s the Stanton family flourished and what was to become

290
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Charles Town in 1738. In the 1730s, General Joseph Stanton's father built the largest

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part of the structure that would become the future end. He was active in town government

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affairs. He was also, by far, the largest landholder in the entire Narragansic County.

293
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His son, General Joseph Stanton Jr. was born in 1738. The year Charles Town was incorporated.

294
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He became one of Rhode Island's most outstanding colonial citizens.

295
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During the Revolutionary War, a Joseph Jr. was a colonel in the Rhode Island militia.

296
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Then, becoming a Brigadier General, he was a delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention in 1790

297
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and the first U.S. senator from the state of Rhode Island from 1790 to 1793.

298
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He was later elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

299
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The National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the Rhode Island Historical Society,

300
00:28:30,860 --> 00:28:36,060
to name just a few organizations in the House Correspondence between General Joseph

301
00:28:36,060 --> 00:28:39,140
Stanton, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson.

302
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The end is the most prominent historical structure that still exists from our town's past.

303
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By preserving and repurposing this building, we have an opportunity to showcase Charles

304
00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:57,700
sounds earliest heritage while providing new life for its future. To leave this building

305
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exposed to dismantling and destruction would be a tragedy for this town and an embarrassment

306
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I believe. Many of the local towns in Rhode Island have already repurposed their historical

307
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structures. We hope that Charles Town will be among some of them.

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Last speaker from the friends is Ron Minio, and Ron is going to speak just a little bit about

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rather short Pam

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Ron's going to speak just about a very important subject is what now

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Thank you

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Good evening, my name is Ron Minio, and that's a tough act to follow when you hear that history

313
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And if I may just share a personal anecdote which I've shared once before

314
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These two rooms

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These two rooms, they are the Indian

316
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In the George Washington cabinet room, when we have the open house, please be sure to stand in that room or those rooms and think about who else may have stood there hundreds of years ago.

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Dick, and can both spoke about the property in terms of what it is today and what it was years ago.

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What I thought I would do is just take a few minutes and talk to you about what our plan is

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if in fact the warrant item passes on June 6th and then what from that point forward we envision would happen

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both with the friends and with the town

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At this point what we have is essentially an opportunity to purchase the property

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So, if they warrant item passes, we will then be faced with a about three or four month period

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where additional due diligence with regard to the property would be conducted.

324
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And a formal agreement to purchase the property would probably be negotiated and then put in place

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between the town is buyer and the current owner of the property as seller.

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While that process is going on,

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we also anticipate that the friends would be in discussions with the town with respect to an agreement,

328
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under which the friends would take over the management and operation of the property

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Once the closing approach was completed, that process would probably take anywhere from the three or four months and hopefully by that point we would have something in place to allow the friends

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with the consent of the town and the town council to take over the property and move forward.

331
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Assuming the purchase takes place, we anticipate that to be sometime in October

332
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And our short term or immediate plan once the property is acquired is to stabilize the operating expenses of the property and to prepare for the operation of the property over the next 12 to 24 to 36 months.

333
00:32:26,050 --> 00:32:33,790
stabilizing the revenue and stabilizing the income so that the properties revenue pays for the operation of the property

334
00:32:33,790 --> 00:32:43,090
and there's no, I think, as Dick referenced it, no big black hole with respect to the cost for operating the property.

335
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During that period of time that 18 to 36 months, then a longer term plan for the property would be developed.

336
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During that period, we also anticipate and it would be our plan to establish a museum at the property,

337
00:33:00,750 --> 00:33:06,770
the core of which would be the two rooms that I referenced and the essential original in.

338
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We do not anticipate and do not plan continued operation of the in.

339
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That would cease at that point.

340
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So, the museum would be the core, the flea market would be the revenue generator, and there is

341
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also a residential property there that is currently rented, and we anticipate continuing

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that rent for some period of time to generate additional revenue.

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Now, we circulated and have made available a four-page document which, if you haven't seen

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it, we do have copies available here.

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It sets out the revenue stream that we have conservatively projected based on information available to us.

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We anticipate about a $35,000 revenue stream from the flea market and the residential property.

347
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And we anticipate operating expenses to keep the property up and running and pay for its maintenance of about $32,280 dollars.

348
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that would leave us with net positive revenue of about $3,100.

349
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And that's set out in the document that we're circulating this evening.

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The last item that I wanted to address and what we've also put in the document is the

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00:34:28,700 --> 00:34:34,140
group of people that have come forward and committed themselves to working on this project.

352
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We have between 25 and 30 very committed, motivated and talented people.

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And we've put here in this document some of the backgrounds of the people that are working on it and have committed to continue working on it in the future.

354
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So with that, I think we'd open it up to three people or more that might have questions for us.

355
00:34:58,020 --> 00:35:02,860
Is there anything else stick you you completed your part of the presentation, okay?

356
00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:08,020
One of the people who has signed up is won up Pearson

357
00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:10,680
Did I say that correctly?

358
00:35:11,380 --> 00:35:11,560
Pearson

359
00:35:12,340 --> 00:35:13,300
Thank you.

360
00:35:22,490 --> 00:35:23,510
I am more in a Pearson

361
00:35:26,950 --> 00:35:33,590
Kind of come here. I feel like I'm I'm representing there's 50 people in this room. There's what seven eight thousand in the town of Charleston

362
00:35:33,590 --> 00:35:34,170
I feel

363
00:35:34,170 --> 00:35:39,770
Partly why I'm representing the under represented population of Charleston.

364
00:35:40,610 --> 00:35:46,150
Why I feel that I just wanted, I was kindly invited to sign the petition for this endeavor.

365
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And thought about it.

366
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Made a response to why I felt I couldn't sign the petition.

367
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And I got responses from other people in the town who felt they couldn't speak up publicly

368
00:35:59,930 --> 00:36:05,130
because either they are a business owner or they might be a practitioner and they don't

369
00:36:05,130 --> 00:36:10,990
want to offend their clients, their business base, and the town, so I thought it

370
00:36:10,990 --> 00:36:18,830
was important for me to get up and speak. So I apologize if I'm reading for my paper,

371
00:36:19,790 --> 00:36:25,650
it's a, I'm not great at public speaking and my words were better thought out on paper,

372
00:36:26,950 --> 00:36:35,270
But I appreciate the passion and the enthusiasm of the grassroots groups who's trying to do this in the town of Charleston.

373
00:36:35,870 --> 00:36:42,750
They love Charleston, but there's also, that's a sentiment shared by lots of families and citizens in this town.

374
00:36:43,590 --> 00:36:50,850
However, as a business owner and a property owning taxpayer in this town, I do want to voice my concern,

375
00:36:50,850 --> 00:37:00,410
But a small group of well-meaning individuals wanting to commit a great sum of our tax dollars for the purchased renovation in maintenance of a privately owned business.

376
00:37:01,250 --> 00:37:11,050
I was recently at the town meetings in which the town council, it was brought up a perspective buyer for that property.

377
00:37:11,050 --> 00:37:17,490
They had a business model that was perceived as not suitable for the town of Charleston at that location.

378
00:37:18,850 --> 00:37:24,390
And some of the reasons that were given for that potential buyer was that being a non-profit organization,

379
00:37:24,730 --> 00:37:31,070
they would not be contributing to the taxes, and their mission would not be adding business revenue to our town.

380
00:37:31,150 --> 00:37:32,390
Those are some of the reasons given.

381
00:37:32,390 --> 00:37:42,690
And right now, I'm a little uncomfortable and discouraged that if the general standing in business property should be the responsibility of the taxpayers of Charleston.

382
00:37:42,690 --> 00:37:53,190
The purchase kind of preservation of the general standing as a historic landmark would be at this time, I feel, a very questionable and irresponsible endeavor.

383
00:37:53,190 --> 00:37:53,890
the citizen.

384
00:37:56,160 --> 00:38:00,860
There's a large, impassioned group which there seems to be in that have a historical

385
00:38:00,860 --> 00:38:05,240
vision for this property. I mean, they should be joining forces with the already established

386
00:38:05,860 --> 00:38:10,300
historical society, which they are, and seek private funding. I really feel that should be a

387
00:38:10,300 --> 00:38:15,840
privately funded endeavor for this town. In the meantime, that would give the owner, you know,

388
00:38:15,940 --> 00:38:22,900
the freedom to perhaps sell that property to somebody who has an innovative and created a creative

389
00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:27,960
vision that could add to the business in this town.

390
00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:39,980
I feel making this something that goes through the budget is not a free-well gesture on the part of the majority of taxpayers in this town.

391
00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:43,720
This should be a free-well gesture, not something that is forced upon us.

392
00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:47,180
And people should be able to give their resources for that.

393
00:38:47,180 --> 00:38:52,800
you own a $300,000 house, if you want to give $20 a year for the next 20 years, then that

394
00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:57,300
should be your free-wheel gesture and not something that's imposed upon you, and I just

395
00:38:57,300 --> 00:39:01,740
feel like many citizens aren't here to voice that.

396
00:39:02,700 --> 00:39:07,160
I really think the role of child government, although I know they express that some do that

397
00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:12,160
I feel, and many in this town feel, the role of child government should be encouraged and support

398
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:16,860
responsible development through your policies and procedures and making it open to other businesses

399
00:39:16,860 --> 00:39:23,540
and a more business-friendly community and not procrearing and managing privately on your own.

400
00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:31,260
So, I do feel I like the passion of the people, I feel it's a worthy thing.

401
00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:37,040
I just think it should not be something that the town takes on and makes a decision for all the taxpayers

402
00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:39,740
for their responsibility.

403
00:39:40,820 --> 00:39:42,900
And I just think another voice needed to be heard.

404
00:39:43,180 --> 00:39:44,060
And I thank you for your time.

405
00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:46,900
Thank you.

406
00:39:50,690 --> 00:39:56,790
All the people who are on the list here have spoken, other people who would like to get up and comment on this petition.

407
00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:02,540
Paul?

408
00:40:02,540 --> 00:40:03,920
My name is Paul Anderson.

409
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:11,360
I have read what towns and cities across this country are doing to inspire others to save places.

410
00:40:11,700 --> 00:40:17,300
We are history happened and to preserve their historic places before they're gone forever.

411
00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:21,000
But what is historic and worth saving?

412
00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:26,200
This varies with the beholder, but some definition is urgent.

413
00:40:27,060 --> 00:40:30,680
Simply put historic means, old and worth the trouble.

414
00:40:31,460 --> 00:40:36,320
In this case, it applies to a building that is a part of our community's very tangible

415
00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:37,080
past.

416
00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:42,820
The building under discussion here this evening, the General Stanton Inn, and its history

417
00:40:42,820 --> 00:40:48,940
should be preserved and protected for present and future generations by enabling our community

418
00:40:48,940 --> 00:40:55,300
and its residents to take the responsibility for protecting the historical resources that

419
00:40:55,300 --> 00:41:02,780
link Charles Town's past with its future. We protect our natural landscapes, fields, farms,

420
00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:08,260
and water protecting our historic buildings should be another arm of the plan.

421
00:41:08,260 --> 00:41:28,060
Another point, it is the obligation of the town leaders in the community to educate and motivate the public and to encourage involvement and increase awareness of every person's responsibility to preserve and protect natural historical and cultural character of our town.

422
00:41:28,060 --> 00:41:36,520
And though it may surprise cynics, all buildings like the General Stanton in can offer opportunities for our community's future.

423
00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:38,980
So what is historic preservation?

424
00:41:39,720 --> 00:41:44,680
It is a way for us to transmit our understanding of the path to our future generations.

425
00:41:45,400 --> 00:41:51,820
So let's not lose this historic opportunity and support the purchase of the General Stanton in. Thank you.

426
00:42:04,900 --> 00:42:09,320
is topping. I'm not the 400 against, I just have a lot of questions.

427
00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:19,420
Where is it? One is, I think, you know, it is a prominent place in town. It is an interesting building,

428
00:42:19,980 --> 00:42:25,240
certainly, and I would certainly like to see it be maintained there, not being raised.

429
00:42:27,140 --> 00:42:32,460
And I'm wondering, I've heard some of the process, they're saying that if it, if the referendum is passed,

430
00:42:32,460 --> 00:42:44,120
Then, due diligence will be done, is that the building inspector looking at it and assessing what needs to be done, or the tax assessor, or an independent real estate assessment.

431
00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:50,980
I don't know what exactly is covered by due diligence in that case, and it's after the referendum.

432
00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:56,820
If the referendum passes, are we still obligated to buy it? That was one question.

433
00:42:58,240 --> 00:43:02,060
The other is, what is, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

434
00:43:02,060 --> 00:43:08,760
If it doesn't, this, this, the Friends group, if it doesn't work, can the town then sell the property?

435
00:43:09,500 --> 00:43:13,360
What is the, you know, long term possibilities there?

436
00:43:15,360 --> 00:43:22,040
You know, I thought the Senior Center would be a good activity there, I'm not sure if that's on the cards or not.

437
00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:29,740
Also, if the rental and the flea market is enough to maintain the building, is that what's being done now?

438
00:43:29,980 --> 00:43:38,310
I mean, I understand that the owner wants to sell it, but is it the income that's there now sufficient to maintain it?

439
00:43:39,100 --> 00:43:40,900
Has that been shown that it can be maintained?

440
00:43:41,500 --> 00:43:46,000
And who has the liability and responsibility for the building?

441
00:43:46,820 --> 00:43:50,400
Is it the fringe group or is it the town if the town owns it?

442
00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:54,640
So, those were some of the questions I had, and I hope that some of this information will

443
00:43:54,640 --> 00:44:03,920
be coming out before the referendum, because he says three weeks before, which isn't

444
00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:09,020
a lot of time, but it is some, but I would like to see a lot of those questions answered.

445
00:44:10,200 --> 00:44:17,600
I do have, you know, some concern about the town owning what could be a liability, as

446
00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:23,900
as a people as I've said, I'd like to know what, you know, a little bit more of what they've

447
00:44:23,900 --> 00:44:36,600
done to find, I don't know what the activities or users for the, for the different parts

448
00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:42,020
of the in, you know, different things get banded around and they never really show what's

449
00:44:42,020 --> 00:44:52,280
true case. So that was my main one. It's just what are the safeguards, if the town were

450
00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:57,700
to enter into such an agreement. As I say, I'm not a pro nor a against, in that sense I just

451
00:44:57,700 --> 00:44:59,960
need a lot more information and I will...

452
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:11,920
I'd certainly like to see the general stand and in be used. I think the historical part is really a very good part of Charles town. And I wait to see what information comes out.

453
00:45:12,780 --> 00:45:23,960
Thank you, Francis. I will call on Dick later on to attempt to answer some of those questions and then we'll go from there. But before we do that, is there anyone else who hasn't spoken who would like to speak?

454
00:45:26,620 --> 00:45:27,200
Good

455
00:45:37,150 --> 00:45:57,970
evening everyone. My name is Barry Goa. I'm a retired architect. I've been in Charlestown now for, I would say, close to two decades, I've been involved in Charlestown through a process. I now have a home, my built in design, my own home here in town.

456
00:45:57,970 --> 00:46:06,310
I was asked to become involved in the friends for the General Stanton and I thought it was

457
00:46:06,310 --> 00:46:16,090
a unique opportunity for me to get involved and give back to the town and I've been gradually

458
00:46:16,090 --> 00:46:24,950
been pulled into this process where I think it is a worthwhile endeavor for this town to

459
00:46:24,950 --> 00:46:32,450
was established a fabric that's so important historically in the development of this town

460
00:46:32,450 --> 00:46:41,590
that it should be purchased by the town, I think, through tax dollars and yes, the town

461
00:46:41,590 --> 00:46:46,410
will get an opportunity, the people in town will get an opportunity to make that vote.

462
00:46:47,270 --> 00:46:52,850
And I'm all for it, I think it has so much potential there, it's a gem of a building.

463
00:46:52,850 --> 00:46:59,570
We need the fabric that's already established there. It's a center building in town

464
00:46:59,570 --> 00:47:09,290
It's it's has the history certainly and I think it's a worthwhile endeavor for the town to get involved with and

465
00:47:09,290 --> 00:47:11,190
And to help the friends of Stan

466
00:47:11,510 --> 00:47:18,990
The Stan in a proceed and be successful and for the benefit of Charles down

467
00:47:26,270 --> 00:47:33,390
Go ahead, and anyone else who hasn't spoken yet, who would like to speak, I will recognize you before, and then we'll give Dick a chance to respond.

468
00:47:35,230 --> 00:47:43,750
Hi, I'm Ruth Platner. Again, I just have questions. And I think when the questions are answered, people will have more questions.

469
00:47:43,750 --> 00:47:56,020
And so I think there needs to be, you need to set up some kind of place where people can ask questions and get responses.

470
00:47:57,580 --> 00:48:09,120
And a question I have, you know, you said it was only going to be three weeks. Will there be a townwide meal that your group puts out to let everyone in town know?

471
00:48:09,120 --> 00:48:12,640
Because I think you need to draw people in.

472
00:48:14,740 --> 00:48:24,720
And a question that I asked Dick in a private conversation was if this could be used for the senior center or a community center.

473
00:48:25,340 --> 00:48:34,720
And I think a lot of people aren't quite clear on the concept of a municipality owned building that's not a municipal building.

474
00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:39,540
And sort of what that means and why it can't be.

475
00:48:40,520 --> 00:48:47,460
So, I think I have other questions, but I think what you need is some kind of form,

476
00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:52,400
you know, not a public meeting, but an electronic form, where people can ask questions.

477
00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:56,940
And these 25 people are involved, can answer them.

478
00:48:57,920 --> 00:49:01,720
And try to engage the entire town in the...

479
00:49:09,050 --> 00:49:10,250
Thank you.

480
00:49:11,150 --> 00:49:12,850
Hi, my name is Travis Justice.

481
00:49:13,770 --> 00:49:18,310
I'd just like to ask the friends to clarify if they have any intention of making the

482
00:49:18,310 --> 00:49:19,410
Tavern for the operational.

483
00:49:19,850 --> 00:49:22,330
They've made mention that the rooms won't be utilized.

484
00:49:22,530 --> 00:49:25,810
I'm just curious if they have any plans for utilizing the Tavern.

485
00:49:26,550 --> 00:49:27,310
Thank you.

486
00:49:30,660 --> 00:49:32,120
Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

487
00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:34,320
Who hasn't had the opportunity yet?

488
00:49:35,740 --> 00:49:36,220
Who had?

489
00:49:38,880 --> 00:49:39,680
Who have questions?

490
00:49:40,700 --> 00:49:42,110
Donna Kamole, Charles Town.

491
00:49:43,660 --> 00:49:45,860
It just seems to me three weeks is very important.

492
00:49:45,860 --> 00:49:50,720
quick and trying to get all of this done, all of the questions, and it just seems like

493
00:49:50,720 --> 00:49:57,300
it's being, you know, really rushed through. What would happen if there's the friends

494
00:49:57,300 --> 00:50:03,060
of General Stanton in, if they can, if people can be paid it all for all their work they're

495
00:50:03,060 --> 00:50:08,120
doing when they're running all of this, what happens in five or six years if there's not enough

496
00:50:08,120 --> 00:50:13,840
people that keep on running this program, this is building. It is a big undertaking. I think

497
00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:16,480
So a lot of things haven't been totally slowed out.

498
00:50:16,820 --> 00:50:18,660
What happens if the revenue isn't there?

499
00:50:20,020 --> 00:50:24,120
The town's got to end up paying for anything that the revenue isn't there.

500
00:50:27,270 --> 00:50:32,590
The kitchen, if you're going to have an event there, is the kitchen up to code.

501
00:50:33,210 --> 00:50:34,210
Can that be used?

502
00:50:35,290 --> 00:50:37,110
Who's going to, what's the fee going to be?

503
00:50:37,230 --> 00:50:38,790
Who's going to be cleaning it?

504
00:50:39,790 --> 00:50:44,010
It seems like this, you know, just a lot of questions that still have to be answered

505
00:50:44,010 --> 00:50:49,090
and that happened. There's a lot of great information you did a great job on this, but there's

506
00:50:49,090 --> 00:50:54,010
not a lot of specific things here, and I think the town's, the town's taxpayers really

507
00:50:54,010 --> 00:50:59,490
need some more information on this. What's going to happen with issues problems arise?

508
00:50:59,990 --> 00:51:02,690
And that's what I'd like to see addressed. Thank you.

509
00:51:02,850 --> 00:51:03,390
Thank you.

510
00:51:08,530 --> 00:51:11,490
Is there anybody else who would like to speak who hasn't been heard yet?

511
00:51:39,190 --> 00:51:39,750
Hello.

512
00:51:43,740 --> 00:52:03,620
There was a statement made. Yes, I'm an architect. I still have a license, but I am so enamored with this, this thing that we're trying to do here. I'm not getting paid for anything for this. It's for the love of this town and for the love.

513
00:52:03,620 --> 00:52:33,360
And the right act of saving the Stanton and preserving is such an important thing that I will, if things break down I would donate my time to fix it as a carpenter, and I'm sure I have resources of those kind of people in town that would help us, and it's for the love of keeping this thing together, but I'm not getting paid for this.

514
00:52:33,620 --> 00:52:34,920
Thank you.

515
00:52:37,230 --> 00:52:39,210
Anyone else who hasn't been heard yet?

516
00:52:39,330 --> 00:52:41,650
I just want to be sure that we give everyone an opportunity

517
00:52:41,650 --> 00:52:44,990
and then we'll put Dick at the microphone again.

518
00:52:47,040 --> 00:52:48,880
Okay, Dick, you're on.

519
00:52:50,420 --> 00:52:52,520
I saw you taking notes, so hopefully you can address

520
00:52:52,520 --> 00:52:53,660
several of the questions I can.

521
00:52:53,660 --> 00:52:54,560
Very quick notes.

522
00:52:54,860 --> 00:52:56,800
Yeah, hopefully I got them on.

523
00:52:57,420 --> 00:53:01,220
Preserving the general stand-in is not a commercial endeavor.

524
00:53:02,560 --> 00:53:04,480
There are commercial parts of it.

525
00:53:05,360 --> 00:53:13,980
For example, the organization has agreed to run up my contract release with the town and needs to generate revenue in order to offset the expenses.

526
00:53:14,820 --> 00:53:22,800
So any activity that takes place there would be directed toward raising funds to pay the cost of operation of the facility.

527
00:53:23,300 --> 00:53:27,020
And for example, I would anticipate that over the years are the future development.

528
00:53:27,020 --> 00:53:32,200
There are already been people who already talked about things they would like to do, get grants, build this

529
00:53:32,200 --> 00:53:36,220
start, buildings, whatever, any number of thousands of suggestions.

530
00:53:36,860 --> 00:53:40,080
Some of those will come to pass, but they will all have to be funded.

531
00:53:40,900 --> 00:53:48,200
And that is part of what the Friends Group is about, is to determine how we will proceed in an appropriate

532
00:53:48,200 --> 00:53:52,480
way in a sustainable way that would not ever become a burden on the town.

533
00:53:53,980 --> 00:53:54,580
There

534
00:53:56,820 --> 00:53:59,820
is no way that you're absolutely correct.

535
00:54:00,280 --> 00:54:00,820
I agree with you.

536
00:54:01,200 --> 00:54:05,040
There is no way that this activity can take place.

537
00:54:05,200 --> 00:54:10,880
We cannot never preserve it with any resources that we found that are available to us.

538
00:54:11,340 --> 00:54:12,720
There are billionaires around.

539
00:54:12,860 --> 00:54:15,040
I don't happen to know any if you do, please call me.

540
00:54:15,820 --> 00:54:22,680
But other than that, most communities have acquired the properties on their own.

541
00:54:22,680 --> 00:54:30,020
I've got a list of several here with me now where the community owns the property, their ends,

542
00:54:30,540 --> 00:54:35,760
there used to be office buildings, there used to be any number of things, and they were converted into operations

543
00:54:35,760 --> 00:54:39,020
that were supported by their friends groups or by other groups.

544
00:54:39,340 --> 00:54:45,600
It's a very common pattern in Rhode Island, but you're absolutely correct that the municipality would own the property.

545
00:54:45,600 --> 00:54:50,820
I would suggest that the property can only be worth more in the future,

546
00:54:50,900 --> 00:54:54,680
rather than less, and the answer to, if can you sell it, of course you can.

547
00:54:55,160 --> 00:54:57,760
It is not intended to be a commercial competitive endeavor.

548
00:54:58,720 --> 00:55:04,980
However, you need to have the flexibility to raise sufficient funds to be able to move forward

549
00:55:04,980 --> 00:55:09,960
as a signature Village Center Museum activity in our community.

550
00:55:10,380 --> 00:55:12,640
It's going to take some effort to raise money.

551
00:55:12,640 --> 00:55:14,900
And if you have no way of raising money,

552
00:55:15,600 --> 00:55:18,600
you're ensuring that it becomes a burden and remains one.

553
00:55:18,960 --> 00:55:21,940
I think owning the capital of property ownership

554
00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:26,980
is a fair trade, so to speak,

555
00:55:27,300 --> 00:55:29,180
because if the people of our community

556
00:55:29,180 --> 00:55:31,960
choose at a referendum to acquire,

557
00:55:32,560 --> 00:55:37,060
I believe that that speaks for the voter base,

558
00:55:37,300 --> 00:55:40,700
the populist who are actually the legislator of this community.

559
00:55:40,700 --> 00:55:45,560
So I'm so glad that it's going to about the people who make the choice not us.

560
00:55:46,020 --> 00:55:51,280
It terms over the friends with the general standing in, I see a number of them in the room

561
00:55:51,280 --> 00:55:54,980
and I know every one of them has got money out of their pocket on their so far.

562
00:55:55,600 --> 00:56:00,040
No, it's not a personal investment, no, it's not a business venture and I would suspect none of us

563
00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:03,280
will ever be paid or even compensated for what we've already spent.

564
00:56:03,900 --> 00:56:08,780
It is an act of love and a future for our future of our community.

565
00:56:08,780 --> 00:56:18,340
That does not say that someday in the future, there might not be employees hired to do portions of what is done at that facility.

566
00:56:18,800 --> 00:56:24,760
But that would be up to the friends board at that time to determine what that would be and how they would be paid.

567
00:56:25,260 --> 00:56:26,200
That's not the counter-function.

568
00:56:27,040 --> 00:56:30,600
But that's a good answer as I give to that question at this time.

569
00:56:32,020 --> 00:56:35,800
You will need to come to the microphone and I'll recognize you in a second.

570
00:56:36,220 --> 00:56:40,620
I'm just trying to get closer, there was a question about liability and a specific

571
00:56:40,620 --> 00:56:44,200
question about whether or not there was any plans to have the tavern operated.

572
00:56:44,940 --> 00:56:48,800
We have no plans to operate anything in particular because as I said it's not a commercial

573
00:56:48,800 --> 00:56:52,720
endeavor, there has been talk about opening a tavern, you've been talking about opening

574
00:56:52,720 --> 00:56:57,340
a coffee shop, a spa, a thousand other things, but that is really down the road.

575
00:56:57,340 --> 00:57:18,060
What we know will operate in the short term in the first two years will be the rental property and the and the flea market because we are convinced on our examination that there's a fish at revenue available from those two combined operations to fully support the in as it is when we begin to change the level at which the end is operating.

576
00:57:18,060 --> 00:57:28,100
We have to change the revenue associated with that, but those decisions have not been made and as a matter of fact a lot of that would be determined by the nature of the agreement between the town and the organization

577
00:57:29,360 --> 00:57:38,840
Do we know who would be responsible for any accident the liability or the place burned down or that kind of thing happened?

578
00:57:38,840 --> 00:57:46,720
The property owner is the town, the town is a member of the Rhode Island Trust, which ensures all of the town's properties.

579
00:57:47,680 --> 00:57:52,260
I'm not certain, but I don't know that it would even be any increase in premiums.

580
00:57:52,560 --> 00:57:59,100
In terms of operations that were to take place on those grounds, if there was a vendor in or a parental property,

581
00:57:59,280 --> 00:58:07,020
they would be required to have all the necessary insurance that anyone would have for being a tenant or whatever operation.

582
00:58:07,020 --> 00:58:12,920
You know, it's going to operate on a business like basis, either those not intended to be a commercial profit-making endeavor.

583
00:58:14,460 --> 00:58:14,920
Okay, thanks.

584
00:58:15,320 --> 00:58:16,620
Would you like to go to Lake of Funker?

585
00:58:17,340 --> 00:58:18,120
Please do.

586
00:58:24,360 --> 00:58:26,300
I brought the old Raspollum-strish market.

587
00:58:26,680 --> 00:58:27,960
I've been renovating that property.

588
00:58:29,400 --> 00:58:32,040
And I have a quite one question I have is,

589
00:58:32,800 --> 00:58:38,100
if the asking price for this property is 1.75 million,

590
00:58:38,940 --> 00:58:39,940
as a business owner,

591
00:58:40,500 --> 00:58:50,500
I would come with a lower offer. I wouldn't just say, sure, you can have 1.75 million. I'm not paying it. The people have charged down a thing.

592
00:58:51,140 --> 00:58:57,160
That doesn't make any sense to me at all. Does that make any sense to anyone in here?

593
00:58:57,520 --> 00:59:06,840
And secondly, Janet's felt cold zone there property forever. How many businesses have failed there? What makes anybody think the town is going to do any better at it?

594
00:59:06,840 --> 00:59:13,320
And if she loves Charleston, so much, what is she donate to property and take the tax credit?

595
00:59:14,640 --> 00:59:18,800
Why should we be forced to put more money out of our pockets?

596
00:59:19,620 --> 00:59:22,120
I have neighbors that are having fixed income.

597
00:59:22,360 --> 00:59:26,880
I don't care, but it's 6 cents a month, but 6 cents a year on their tax bill, or whatever.

598
00:59:27,460 --> 00:59:33,340
If it's $15 a year, if it's that little, then what does the account pay?

599
00:59:33,340 --> 00:59:58,780
chip in and pay their increased tax burden. That's not fair. That's not right. If you're going to go buy a house and you've looked at that house and they were asking 500,000 for it. Would you walk in and say, sure, I'll give you a 500,000. What would you say? Well, you know, maybe it's only worth 400. Maybe it's worth 250 in the person just wants extra money.

600
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:06,780
General standing in is not worth 1.75 million. The property surrounding it included,

601
01:00:11,170 --> 01:00:14,050
pretty much what I'd like to put in. Okay, thank you very much.

602
01:00:18,230 --> 01:00:37,270
I think the best I could do is respond to the purchase price. I think it will be as a firefight. The bond issue is a million 750. That is for the purchase of the general standing in a vacant property and a fund that would be available for future investment in the building and maintenance.

603
01:00:37,270 --> 01:00:47,830
control. The general stand-in itself was on the market at 1,8 plus, I saw it on Zilla was suggesting something like 1.56.

604
01:00:48,610 --> 01:01:01,170
It was sold kind of dably for in the 1,05060 range, and that was turned down. I don't have the exact number, either roughly correct.

605
01:01:01,170 --> 01:01:06,350
The assess value of the general stand in is $1,398,100.

606
01:01:06,970 --> 01:01:11,090
That's what the town taxes it on and most of our properties are valued on.

607
01:01:11,350 --> 01:01:15,050
The purchase price of the end is $1,325,000.

608
01:01:15,230 --> 01:01:16,410
I would only ask one question.

609
01:01:16,770 --> 01:01:19,150
When's the last time the town of Charleston or any other town,

610
01:01:19,250 --> 01:01:21,610
bought a property for less than its assess value?

611
01:01:22,270 --> 01:01:26,290
This was negotiated over a significant period of time

612
01:01:27,270 --> 01:01:29,650
and that's the negotiated price.

613
01:01:31,120 --> 01:01:34,760
certainly everyone can have an opinion with regard to that, but it was done.

614
01:01:35,640 --> 01:01:41,520
The vacant lot was on the market for $215,000, that was about the assessed value and the price

615
01:01:41,520 --> 01:01:49,100
that we have negotiated for this activity is $163,000, which is, we believe, a good price for

616
01:01:49,100 --> 01:01:49,560
that property.

617
01:01:49,980 --> 01:01:53,180
So in terms of the property, that is the property value.

618
01:01:53,540 --> 01:01:57,520
As far as the opinion with regard to spending that everyone has their own.

619
01:01:58,080 --> 01:01:59,060
Thank you, Dick.

620
01:01:59,740 --> 01:02:00,100
In a minute.

621
01:02:00,920 --> 01:02:02,860
I did someone who hasn't spoken yet.

622
01:02:03,040 --> 01:02:03,660
Mr. Meyer.

623
01:02:21,160 --> 01:02:21,780
I'm William Meyer.

624
01:02:21,820 --> 01:02:22,820
I'm a resident of town.

625
01:02:23,480 --> 01:02:27,520
I really first came here in 1964, but lived here 11 years now.

626
01:02:28,260 --> 01:02:30,200
I have a couple of concerns.

627
01:02:31,300 --> 01:02:34,460
One is, well, first I'm glad to see that we're going to do something about the General's

628
01:02:34,460 --> 01:02:37,480
standing and take it all over because the last time I went there at a Chinese meal.

629
01:02:37,480 --> 01:02:40,980
I think George Washington would have turned over and is great.

630
01:02:44,180 --> 01:02:50,360
I'm for that. I've also been involved with the grains taking the grains over and helping

631
01:02:50,360 --> 01:02:54,240
get those going and there's a lot of heads when you run something like that like who's

632
01:02:54,240 --> 01:02:57,340
going to take care of the lady who stops up, but who's going to take care of when it

633
01:02:57,340 --> 01:03:10,960
hits too high. There are a lot of problems and the grains is only a puppy to what the

634
01:03:10,960 --> 01:03:15,020
be over the life of the thing we're going to cross the town, you know, upwards of 3 million

635
01:03:15,020 --> 01:03:15,340
dollars.

636
01:03:15,640 --> 01:03:17,040
I question that.

637
01:03:17,040 --> 01:03:23,160
I question the town's going, it's a propensity to take over problems, like the blonde

638
01:03:23,160 --> 01:03:23,480
property.

639
01:03:23,700 --> 01:03:24,720
The blonde property came up.

640
01:03:24,860 --> 01:03:30,580
He wanted to put a woman, a windmill up there, or the generator power up there.

641
01:03:30,660 --> 01:03:31,560
I went to the zoning board.

642
01:03:31,560 --> 01:03:34,940
I don't think it would have ever got past his own blood, because it was not the right

643
01:03:34,940 --> 01:03:37,500
use for the property, but the town board it out.

644
01:03:37,500 --> 01:03:41,020
The town does not belong in buying property.

645
01:03:41,440 --> 01:03:45,360
The town operated the driving range down there,

646
01:03:45,460 --> 01:03:46,660
look what happened to the driving range.

647
01:03:47,220 --> 01:03:47,920
It went to funk.

648
01:03:48,560 --> 01:03:52,340
I'm all for helping out, but I think private enterprise

649
01:03:52,340 --> 01:03:56,200
has to run this type of an operation, not the town.

650
01:03:56,220 --> 01:04:01,360
The town and the government is not the type of commodity

651
01:04:01,360 --> 01:04:05,740
or type of institution to run a private enterprise

652
01:04:05,740 --> 01:04:08,700
And see, and then, like that, go, I'd like to see it go.

653
01:04:08,900 --> 01:04:11,800
But I think the town, just they added that business, and maybe

654
01:04:11,800 --> 01:04:15,580
forth to someone else, or give someone else a tax break.

655
01:04:16,100 --> 01:04:18,840
But we should not be bonding it, getting on self and what that,

656
01:04:19,000 --> 01:04:20,240
and our kids in debt.

657
01:04:20,580 --> 01:04:20,840
Thanks, Leo.

658
01:04:22,460 --> 01:04:23,020
Thank you, Bill.

659
01:04:24,540 --> 01:04:25,360
Yes, sir.

660
01:04:41,510 --> 01:04:42,130
I'm just curious.

661
01:04:42,250 --> 01:04:45,510
I'd like to inquire, if there was one individual, if there was two

662
01:04:45,510 --> 01:04:48,430
separate entities that negotiated that purchase price was the

663
01:04:48,430 --> 01:04:52,390
and seller represented by the same individual over the represented separately.

664
01:04:52,770 --> 01:04:53,690
Thank you.

665
01:04:56,400 --> 01:04:57,580
Dick, can you answer that?

666
01:04:59,700 --> 01:05:04,060
The negotiations took place over a period of three months with two separate owners, and there

667
01:05:04,060 --> 01:05:08,380
were four of us involved from the front side, and brokers on the other side.

668
01:05:13,740 --> 01:05:14,440
That's all I can tell you.

669
01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:18,720
Those are the parties who are involved in the discussion, leading to option agreements,

670
01:05:19,120 --> 01:05:20,680
conditional option agreements for acquisition.

671
01:05:20,680 --> 01:05:25,420
We needed to fix the price before we could even bring this forward for consideration.

672
01:05:26,000 --> 01:05:30,500
Could you imagine if we were standing here trying to pass a referendum without knowing what it would cost?

673
01:05:31,040 --> 01:05:34,760
And that's exactly what would have happened had that not, it would have been impossible.

674
01:05:35,360 --> 01:05:44,740
So the process was over a period of several months negotiated by our group with the brokers representing the owners.

675
01:05:47,480 --> 01:05:48,360
Thank you.

676
01:05:49,140 --> 01:05:50,580
Yes, would you like to speak again?

677
01:06:04,540 --> 01:06:11,000
A few concerns. It seems like that some of the friends in the general stand had said they've been working on this for a year.

678
01:06:11,160 --> 01:06:12,340
I mean I think this idea.

679
01:06:12,400 --> 01:06:13,820
Excuse me, could you say your name again?

680
01:06:13,900 --> 01:06:14,600
Lord of Pearson.

681
01:06:15,220 --> 01:06:16,080
Lord of Pearson.

682
01:06:16,800 --> 01:06:17,700
Thank you.

683
01:06:18,900 --> 01:06:23,860
And also now these negotiating over the price of this has happened over several months.

684
01:06:24,260 --> 01:06:29,360
That's very concerning to me that in that meantime a prospective buyer came in front of this town

685
01:06:29,360 --> 01:06:39,400
And part of the solid reasons that the council rejected that variance was because this

686
01:06:39,400 --> 01:06:45,380
would be a not-for-profit organization, therefore not contributing taxes to the town.

687
01:06:48,140 --> 01:06:50,860
And that's a big reason, and I'm sorry I lost.

688
01:06:53,240 --> 01:06:55,160
And that it wouldn't be a commercial endeavor.

689
01:06:55,460 --> 01:06:59,680
Those were true reasons that were given to the town council that helped the town council

690
01:06:59,680 --> 01:07:05,440
say, no, that that organization could not, would not be accepted.

691
01:07:06,240 --> 01:07:09,540
And now these are some of the same things that this organization, who said they've been

692
01:07:09,540 --> 01:07:12,740
in negotiations over this price for months.

693
01:07:13,780 --> 01:07:20,120
This is, I just think this is way too rushed, this, there's information, it's a well-established

694
01:07:20,120 --> 01:07:26,560
organization, they already have donations, they're ready to publish and send out literature.

695
01:07:26,560 --> 01:07:29,780
and the town people aren't having that time to respond.

696
01:07:30,440 --> 01:07:35,560
I would just ask that at the very least we put in consideration that putting something in front

697
01:07:35,560 --> 01:07:40,580
of the town for a vote, that the other town people don't have a time to digest the material

698
01:07:40,580 --> 01:07:46,160
or organize themselves to get out literature that might stay in opposing position.

699
01:07:47,260 --> 01:07:53,220
This is very premature and seems very rushed for, I would say, the majority of the town.

700
01:07:53,220 --> 01:07:59,760
I think that really needs to be taken into consideration that before this goes to a vote.

701
01:08:00,300 --> 01:08:01,060
Thank you.

702
01:08:12,720 --> 01:08:13,060
Decision.

703
01:08:13,840 --> 01:08:15,720
Oh, sorry.

704
01:08:19,800 --> 01:08:21,060
I'm George Trump.

705
01:08:21,200 --> 01:08:22,460
I remember the town council.

706
01:08:24,120 --> 01:08:32,800
The decision on the prior offer to utilize that property was not based on any commercial interest whatsoever.

707
01:08:32,800 --> 01:08:39,520
I wrote the motion that led to the defeat of that arrangement, and the motion was restricted

708
01:08:39,520 --> 01:08:47,020
entirely to the zoning regulations and the definition and the zoning ordinances and the

709
01:08:47,020 --> 01:08:51,780
comprehensive plan of what constitutes traditional village district.

710
01:08:52,680 --> 01:08:57,300
So it was a very narrowly refined rationale for defeating that proposal.

711
01:08:58,700 --> 01:08:59,960
Thank you.

712
01:09:00,220 --> 01:09:00,820
Thank you, George.

713
01:09:00,820 --> 01:09:01,640
Did

714
01:09:06,020 --> 01:09:08,260
you have anything else to add?

715
01:09:08,820 --> 01:09:13,260
I could address the kind of regarding the timing just to be clear from this person.

716
01:09:14,080 --> 01:09:20,180
The conversation I've heard around the town over the last year doesn't mean that was not the friend that was just community.

717
01:09:20,840 --> 01:09:32,860
The negotiation did take several months and that's one of the reason why the organization wasn't able to go public earlier because we hadn't closed sufficiently well so that we had firm information to bring forward.

718
01:09:32,860 --> 01:09:44,060
As soon as that was done, and that was a delayed process because it was lengthy back and forth and a typical negotiation, as many of you have been involved in there, they are given take, they are not simple.

719
01:09:45,080 --> 01:09:48,140
And that was done with two different owners, one of which is in California.

720
01:09:49,060 --> 01:10:01,140
As soon as they were done, we immediately set up the first meeting of the public and that took place in March, and we have been working very hard ever since trying to catch up and get the work done that needs to be done as quickly as we can.

721
01:10:01,140 --> 01:10:08,840
I would have preferred a bit on the street already with the information, but we simply could not move that fast with a citizen's group volunteer organization.

722
01:10:09,320 --> 01:10:13,740
We're getting there, we'll get it out as quickly as we can, and we're trying to answer every question we can.

723
01:10:14,340 --> 01:10:17,480
It was mentioned earlier about could there be a townwide mailing.

724
01:10:18,100 --> 01:10:24,440
We recently reached out to our membership to ask for donations because, as you know, a cost money to print mail.

725
01:10:24,900 --> 01:10:29,000
We would like to do a townwide mailing, and if we have sufficient resources we shall,

726
01:10:29,000 --> 01:10:40,260
We'll also be doing several other kinds of contacts, including phone and other activities of posters and clients and buyers.

727
01:10:40,460 --> 01:10:43,680
Those kinds of things hopefully to inform the public.

728
01:10:44,120 --> 01:10:47,720
We also have tried to work closely with the press to give them information as well.

729
01:10:47,980 --> 01:10:49,140
And we'll continue to do that.

730
01:10:49,340 --> 01:10:56,840
So everything that we can do to help people make their own decisions that we can do within the resources we have available.

731
01:10:56,840 --> 01:11:09,840
We shall do. Thank you. Thank you, Dick. I'd like to ask the town administrator to comment on one aspect of it and that is what happens with the petition between now in June 6th.

732
01:11:10,700 --> 01:11:18,800
When the whole town is going to vote on the financial budget and apparently the petition also.

733
01:11:19,880 --> 01:11:31,980
The Tom moderated wanted and everyone went to know that this was a petition article so they had the required number of signatures they had over 200 fact that over 300 once that was put in place

734
01:11:31,980 --> 01:11:36,080
This question is going on about it regardless of what happens

735
01:11:36,920 --> 01:11:41,100
With the town council or this public hearing tonight

736
01:11:41,100 --> 01:11:47,200
This is mainly for informational purposes and when the town council meets at their next meeting to finalize the warrant

737
01:11:47,200 --> 01:11:51,600
it's compulsory they don't have any discretion as to whether or not this question goes on

738
01:11:51,600 --> 01:11:57,180
the ballot so I just want to make it clear that procedurally because of it being a petition

739
01:11:57,180 --> 01:11:59,980
it is on the ballot automatically our

740
01:12:04,430 --> 01:12:07,990
own charter in conjunction with the state law charter

741
01:12:07,990 --> 01:12:13,170
allows for petitions Francis you have a digital comment

742
01:12:19,860 --> 01:12:23,220
Francis topping again something

743
01:12:23,220 --> 01:12:31,080
something that wasn't addressed that I mentioned before was, do you see any possibility of

744
01:12:31,080 --> 01:12:38,080
it being used as the community centre being more central to Charles Town? The other is

745
01:12:38,080 --> 01:12:46,240
with a town building inspector also be looking at it before any decisions made, and seeing

746
01:12:46,240 --> 01:12:55,660
there have been relatively few buyers looking at it does that can that affect the price

747
01:12:55,660 --> 01:13:00,420
although it's already negotiated presumably but when it's been on the market for a long

748
01:13:00,420 --> 01:13:05,980
time and you know if you have a house on the market for a long time you generally have to

749
01:13:05,980 --> 01:13:11,740
put it down even if the assessed value is higher so I just wondered how that's been taken into account

750
01:13:13,690 --> 01:13:14,950
Thank you, Francis.

751
01:13:15,690 --> 01:13:18,530
Dick, would you want to make any response to that at this particular time?

752
01:13:21,440 --> 01:13:25,200
Does anyone else have a comment they'd like to make?

753
01:13:25,400 --> 01:13:27,540
Please take the microphone and state your name.

754
01:13:27,860 --> 01:13:28,380
Dave Henley.

755
01:13:28,880 --> 01:13:29,860
I just have a question, Dick.

756
01:13:29,940 --> 01:13:35,220
You mentioned that you had a list of other towns that had properties like this,

757
01:13:35,260 --> 01:13:36,480
and they've been able to make them work.

758
01:13:36,560 --> 01:13:38,220
Could you share more of that with us?

759
01:13:42,940 --> 01:13:46,580
I hesitate to do too much of this because we've been doing it in the last couple of days

760
01:13:46,580 --> 01:13:49,580
that I'm not certain of all the specific facts behind them.

761
01:13:49,580 --> 01:13:54,380
The information I have is at East Greenwich, as at least one, Westerley has at least four.

762
01:13:54,640 --> 01:14:00,760
Bristol has, when they bought the Mount Hope Farm, they got the Governor Bradford in.

763
01:14:01,300 --> 01:14:02,600
And they had three historic buildings.

764
01:14:05,080 --> 01:14:09,220
The Narraganset is a kidney bungalow, towers, and one other property.

765
01:14:09,960 --> 01:14:16,240
Portsmouth has Elmhurst Academy, and Manorhouse, and they all think all the Manorhouse Authority.

766
01:14:18,140 --> 01:14:24,540
Each of these, some came to the community in the purchase of a property for one purpose,

767
01:14:24,680 --> 01:14:26,240
but these facilities were on it.

768
01:14:26,520 --> 01:14:32,400
Others were specifically purchased, some were purchased by the State and given to municipalities.

769
01:14:33,140 --> 01:14:34,420
I'm sure there were some donations.

770
01:14:34,920 --> 01:14:37,020
I just, we don't have all the facts.

771
01:14:37,400 --> 01:14:44,180
What I do know is the pattern in Rhode Island is very well established to have municipal ownership

772
01:14:44,180 --> 01:14:52,040
and of historic properties and of agencies operating them and that is what we intend to do.

773
01:14:52,400 --> 01:14:56,180
One comment about something set earlier about the town running or the town running property

774
01:14:56,180 --> 01:14:59,620
Well, towns on lots of property folks, we would have beaches parks.

775
01:15:00,050 --> 01:15:05,270
Any stations, if we didn't know properly, including historic properties, very, very common, very normal.

776
01:15:07,830 --> 01:15:15,450
And that has always been the case. We believe that this is an appropriate use of town resources.

777
01:15:16,670 --> 01:15:21,650
And I personally believe that 20 years from now when some of us in the room won't be in the room.

778
01:15:22,690 --> 01:15:29,390
They will look back and say it was really good that some people thought far enough ahead to be able to provide this to our community.

779
01:15:29,390 --> 01:15:41,110
Don't forget, nothing is going to get more visible to root 1 than that piece of property, and nothing is going to get much older than the general statement in this community in terms of historic value.

780
01:15:41,690 --> 01:15:57,390
It seems someone said to me it's an obrater, well that's not true because everything requires thought, but the reality is the pluses over the long term for the community as a traditional village center as a signature place.

781
01:15:57,390 --> 01:16:00,190
If you speak of it, you would know you were talking about

782
01:16:00,190 --> 01:16:04,990
Cheshire, Charlestown, that I haven't worked here for 45 years.

783
01:16:05,190 --> 01:16:06,350
I don't know where that came from.

784
01:16:12,680 --> 01:16:16,880
You know, that it truly, we would anticipate that it would become a signature

785
01:16:18,020 --> 01:16:21,160
characteristic piece of this community in the future,

786
01:16:22,940 --> 01:16:28,320
and right now is a difficult time, but once the hurdles are gotten over

787
01:16:28,320 --> 01:16:31,600
once the town has made all the decisions they need to make, and the agencies

788
01:16:31,600 --> 01:16:35,940
that have gotten involved in all the citizen volunteers, what run didn't mention earlier when

789
01:16:35,940 --> 01:16:39,100
you start talking about the people who are involved in this. We have our context. We have

790
01:16:39,100 --> 01:16:44,260
engineers, we have bank trust officers, we have history professors, we have accounting professors,

791
01:16:44,480 --> 01:16:50,760
we have old town managers, old recruits, we have some council members from in and out of Rhode Island

792
01:16:50,760 --> 01:16:57,220
in New York, in other places. We have a group of people who have the capacity to operate

793
01:16:57,220 --> 01:17:02,900
of facility like this and business experience in backgrounds as well, legal backgrounds as well.

794
01:17:03,580 --> 01:17:08,040
The people involved and all the other volunteers who were willing to spend time and effort,

795
01:17:09,200 --> 01:17:14,680
it's a tremendous group and they do have the skills to do the things that perhaps a town

796
01:17:14,680 --> 01:17:21,140
is never designed to do. A town is designed to do certain things and they do it well. They

797
01:17:21,140 --> 01:17:26,060
are not designed to run facilities like this. In a way, this needs to be run if we're going

798
01:17:26,060 --> 01:17:30,440
have it sustainable and not become dependent on the taxpayer to keep it an operation.

799
01:17:31,340 --> 01:17:31,900
Thank you.

800
01:17:32,020 --> 01:17:32,680
Thank you, Dick.

801
01:17:33,180 --> 01:17:33,960
Mr. Meyer?

802
01:17:35,120 --> 01:17:36,600
Please go up to the microphone.

803
01:17:37,200 --> 01:17:41,160
You need to, for our recording of the minutes of the minute.

804
01:17:42,540 --> 01:17:50,100
My question is Dick, how many of those towns that you mentioned that have properties like such as historical properties?

805
01:17:50,560 --> 01:17:54,500
Well, any of them purchased by the town or they don't go native as it taxed, right?

806
01:17:55,360 --> 01:18:02,360
Well, I have one of them here that was in Bristol, it had to do with it's operated by a nonprofit.

807
01:18:03,560 --> 01:18:10,580
The town bought it with a 1.5 million dollar bond issue, 83% approval rate, and there were some other grants and other things involved in that as well.

808
01:18:10,580 --> 01:18:16,140
So, yes and no, there are probably every financial arrangement you can imagine at one time or

809
01:18:16,140 --> 01:18:22,880
another has been used to acquire and preserve historic properties, but yes, towns do by them.

810
01:18:23,560 --> 01:18:23,820
Thank you.

811
01:18:24,040 --> 01:18:26,380
Is there anyone else who would like to speak on this subject?

812
01:18:31,490 --> 01:18:32,730
Yes sir, please go to the microphone.

813
01:18:39,720 --> 01:18:40,840
My name is Reeves C. Black.

814
01:18:40,840 --> 01:18:46,160
I had an intended to speak, but I think their passion on both sides that I'd like to address.

815
01:18:48,200 --> 01:18:54,160
We, too, moved into Rhode Island into Charles County, bought property 20 years ago, and thought

816
01:18:54,160 --> 01:18:57,000
enough of the community to make it our retirement place.

817
01:18:57,180 --> 01:18:59,380
We don't go and claim Florida Resonance.

818
01:18:59,580 --> 01:19:01,400
We want to be in Charles County.

819
01:19:02,760 --> 01:19:06,380
And I always look for what is added value to a community.

820
01:19:07,920 --> 01:19:10,440
Yes, it is an expensive proposition.

821
01:19:10,440 --> 01:19:18,560
however, if you spread it out over the course of many years, I know that $18 a year or is still

822
01:19:18,560 --> 01:19:24,160
$18 a year, but I'm willing to do that for the added value. One of the great things about

823
01:19:24,160 --> 01:19:30,740
this community is the low tax rate, and people like Charles Town and like purchasing here because

824
01:19:30,740 --> 01:19:38,140
of the low tax rate. I think that it's worth a little bit of our investment to add value to this

825
01:19:38,140 --> 01:19:42,980
community. If you're a business person and you own a restaurant or you own a real

826
01:19:42,980 --> 01:19:49,200
tea business, you expect people to come and buy stuff. And if you don't have a

827
01:19:49,200 --> 01:19:55,020
village, center, or an added value institution that you can depend on, those

828
01:19:55,020 --> 01:19:57,420
people aren't going to come to Charles Town, they're going to go to other

829
01:19:57,420 --> 01:20:02,740
communities. So if I own a bakery, or if I own a restaurant or I own the

830
01:20:02,740 --> 01:20:10,360
market or any other market. I would like to have people come to me because this town has added value.

831
01:20:10,980 --> 01:20:16,920
I believe that this would be a good investment for the town to give us some of this thing that we need for the culture of our community.

832
01:20:17,320 --> 01:20:18,120
Thank you.

833
01:20:23,010 --> 01:20:23,330
Thank you.

834
01:20:23,670 --> 01:20:26,350
Is there anyone else who would like to speak this evening?

835
01:20:28,610 --> 01:20:32,490
If that is the case, I'd like to entertain a motion to adjourn.

836
01:20:32,490 --> 01:20:34,490
Second it.

837
01:20:35,190 --> 01:20:35,810
All in favor?

838
01:20:36,910 --> 01:20:38,170
Thank you very much.