today is Tuesday October 1st it is now
6:25 p.m. Town council meeting in town
council chambers 1170 Main Street West
War Island J lead us in
prayer we ask for the wisdom to make
good decisions to speak with confidence
and listen with compassion and to work
together to create a better way of life
for the people of West wck
amen you Len to pledge allegiance I
pledge allegiance to the flag of the
unit States of America and to the
Republic for which it stand one nation
under God indivisible with liberty and
justice for
all before we get started just make sure
you're speaking into your mics clearly
as I said in last meeting um people
online cannot hear
us roll call councilman Dennison here
councilman lardi here councilman Messier
here Council vice president Williamson
here council president Goin here for is
declared consent agenda approval of the
minutes from the September 17 2024 Town
council meeting move approv the consent
agenda second move in second any
discussion hearing none all in favor I I
opposed eyes have it ordinances first
reading of ordinance 202 24-18 amending
section two general purposes section
three definition section four division
into District section five use
regulations Section 18 power of the Town
Council to establish a zoning border
review and adopt zoning ordinance move
the ordinance second move second this is
the same ordinance I presented two weeks
ago however in view of the discussion
regarding the mandates that were being
forced upon us from the state especially
particularly the adus I have removed
those however I have sent you an email
last week requesting that
those be reconsidered and placed back in
the a ordinance uh it's I stated my
reasons in the email to you it's just
makes makes it much more difficult for a
matter to come in where we have to make
Bob or Marilyn and I have to make a
decision that involves an accessory
dwelling unit it's not in our own
ordinance we got to go look to the State
statue we may miss it uh there's that
problem in in addition what bothers me
is that if it's a matter being brought
to us with an attorney and I say to the
attorney look our ordinance doesn't
follow state law the attorney's probably
going to say oh okay but if I got to try
and explain to the lay person that even
though what you read in the ordinance
says what you read that's not real is
something else so I'm asking that the
council amend the matter for second
hearing and allow me to put back in the
material that was that I had removed
regarding the accessory dwelling
units any questions for Al no I I think
actually it makes sense um we certainly
aren't looking to make your job hotter
or the planner's job hotter or Bob
asin's job hotter as uh housing and I
can understand and as you explained to
us when we first looked at the
issue state law is going to win the day
and for us to have different set of laws
and rules on our books just complicates
matters I think for you and I think
that's what you're saying out I think
the action taken two weeks ago well it
spell it informed the state it said
something I said look we don't want you
shoving all this stuff that's no good
for our town down our throats and you
spoke you piece now let's move forward
with it yeah and our last meeting or or
that meeting when we discussed that um
you know I was concerned my question to
you is this going to be a burden to
anybody in this building to deal with
and at that time I wasn't aware that it
was going to be such a burden to deal
with it so you know now that you've made
that clear and we've made our point to
the state hopefully they receive that
point and I see where you're coming from
now thank you and and I appreciate you
taking the time to bring it back
to make make things easier here in town
hall I would ask for a motion that it be
amended for me to reinstate the state
mandates I'll make that motion second
mooving
seconded um that's just a motion this is
just a vote on that motion all in favor
I I opposed eyes have it any other
questions for Al on the ordinance any
public comment on the
ordinance hearing none I'll take a roll
call vote Jay yes Jason yes Mark yes
Mary Beth yes and I vote yes thank
you um since Al is here can we move
three to
two because then we because he has to
leave make a motion to move number three
up second mve seconded sorry G3 to
clarify G3 G3 sorry you want to read
three
first reading of an ordinance amending
chapter 11 motor vehicles and traffic
Article 2 operation adding section 53
penalties for violations to the code of
ordinances of the town of West bway move
the ordinance second after you pass the
low speed ordinance the chief and I
realized we had said no no low low speed
vehicles on certain streets but we
didn't put any punishment in and what
the chief and I asked is that you add a
$100 fee per
off offense that's the only
change any questions for Al on this Al
do you think $100 per offense is the way
to go or would you think escalating it
just my discussions with the chief and
you can correct me if I'm wrong we're
not anticipating a great deal of
activity on this we I think the chief
feels every now and then you may had
somebody doing it
but that's why we F could just uh put
the word out there and I think that
anybody and with the chief that anybody
who's out there in a low speed vehicle
and gets nail for 100 bucks it's going
to think twice about doing it again
okay any questions for Al any public
comment on this
ordinance hearing none I'll take a roll
call vote Jay yes Jason yes Mark yes
Mary Beth yes can I vote yes thank you
thanks have a good night Al thank you
thank you
all first reading of an ordinance
relating to homeless encampments move
the ordinance second moov and second
discussion um before we get into a
public discussion on this um we had a
lengthy three and a half hour discussion
on this the last council meeting so just
try to avoid being repetitive if you do
have a comment um and I'm going to start
off with the town manager
good evening as you recall at our last
meeting um the solic and I were directed
to put together ordinance
recommendations to handle the the
council's directive on handling
encampment issues targeting the date of
December 2nd so our solicitor took the
first stab at this draft that we're
looking at tonight
and distributed it as the agenda was put
forth I felt it was important um since
the solicitor did
that that he had reasons setting it up
the way he did um with certain sections
and certain verbage and I wanted him to
have the opportunity to uh present those
reasonings um before we started
circulating um some suggestions and
amendments I know that I spent some time
on it um I did not change his format I
just looked at it from my perspective um
and sent that to all of you to help
Foster some continued discussion
tonight but before if you don't mind
since one of the Amendments um before we
get into the ordinance part is talking
about the encampment response team that
I thought was important and I think is
an important part of this process
because in my mind we all understand
that we're not legislating or arresting
ourselves out of a significant issue
that's not only born in west wck but
Statewide and nationally so I just kind
of wanted to reinforce the fact that we
did uh formalize an encampment Response
Team internally that comprises um the
town's EMA director under the leadership
of Chief Aron the police department the
fire department's EMS services the
highway department Pride Behavioral
Health and members of our social network
with the Health Equity Zone amongst
others and we started a more formalized
process of going out to the various
encampments identifying their locations
their conditions the folks that are
there um reinforcing the in what the
opportunities are and in some cases the
lack thereof to to find out how can be
of assistance to get them um to proper
shelter because in my mind this
encampment issue should be bifurcated
it's not just a homelessness problem or
UNH housee problem it's that separate
from some issues that we're
experiencing in and around encampments
and it's not just a homelessness issue
the be the issues around encampments is
more some criminal and inappropriate
behavior the health and safety and
sanitation issues in those areas um the
enjoyment of our park and town owned
property for others um and when there
are issues our First Responders have
some significant challenges in getting
there safely and getting people in need
of services out safely so it it's a much
broader issue um so I wanted to allow
Chief Veron a few minutes just to kind
of explain um what the encampment
response team did they did their Maiden
T if you will um last week and he can
explain a little further on that process
because I think it's important to
understand that the town is is
compassionate and wants to do the right
thing um this is in my in my estimation
more important and it's a continuation
of stuff that we've really been doing
now for months if not years but it's
just a little more formalized Chief
right thank you so the team got together
uh we had a meeting and we set some
goals um the goals were to um use the
community param medicine to assess any
medical needs
um we had U members from Thrive
Behavioral Health that were there for
outreach and
counseling um the local heads the Health
Equity Zone uh to give survey
questions uh westwall police
uh to get an accurate count and identify
uh the population and to photo document
the
areas um we ided uh specific encampments
and mapped them uh DPW was there they
assess the area for
cleanup uh whether we'd be able to do it
or if we might need a private contractor
in some cases um to do that um we also
um provided uh the verbal uh first
notice of um any action that might
happen on December
2nd so th those were our goals going out
um so the Thursday September 26th uh the
team met at 6 o'clock in the morning at
DPW headquarters on junior street and we
started uh from there on a walking area
um know walking from there so present
we're uh Wendy budro from the Health
Equity Zone she is the uh Community
organizer and food access assistant we
had the housing lead uh housing first
lead case manager from Thrive Behavioral
Health trip Mccreary and joining later
was a pair recovery specialist from
Thrive uh
rivka uh DPW director Jeff calwell uh we
had two westw police officers and the be
uh behavioral navigator from the westw
police um our coordinator for the mobile
Integrated Health Community param
medicine uh also came along so we had
quite a few people uh as we proceeded uh
we visited 12 separate sites um and we
had personal interactions with the
individuals and each of those sites and
all of those interactions were
positive um team was well well received
everybody was respectful and
um you know we had
a good
interactions uh the total number of
individuals that were identified were 44
in those 12 different
areas um we distributed Nan um from
Community param medicine uh when we team
up with the Outreach and they they go
kind of on out a weekly but there were
probably about 20 kits handed out last
week of
notan um the cleanup assessment was uh
completed by director
Caldwell uh he put a rough number of
about
22,000 to clean up all 12 different
sites
um is that is that for us to clean for
DPW to clean that up 22,000 so um you'd
have to ask the director I got that
number but I'm sure he could answer
exactly what how that breaks down um the
ongoing work that we're looking now
after this right we visited everyone uh
but some of the things that we want to
look for going forward um include
confirmation of the populations that are
on the state coordinated entry system so
now we've identified as a municipality
the individuals we can check and make
sure that they are all on the
coordinated entry system so Thrive is
going to be doing um assisting us uh in
handling that we're also reaching out to
the westw housing authority to see how
many of the 44 are on their list okay to
see what what Avenues might be um
another thing that um while we were're
doing our um tour through the
encampments we did find several hypmic
needles um they were properly taken and
um disposed of uh we obtained shops
containers
and we're going to be putting those out
into into the um areas and uh hopefully
reduce the number of needles there are
on the areas or anywhere
else
um and part of what the community
paramedicine would like to do going
forward also would be make sure that
there were Primary Care um you know um
providers with each of the um
encampments
uh
individuals so those are some of the
things that we're looking forward going
forward any questions for the chief how
does that work as far as um because you
said you picked up several needles are
you talking you know three four or there
was there were um about a dozen maybe a
little bit more than a dozen but in that
that area in those in those 12 were
mostly they weren't in each site by any
means they were just a couple of the
sites that um
and how how does the sharps container
work is that like um it's a red hard
plastic container that when um the
needle is used they can place it in the
needle when you go into the doctor's
office you containers so those are what
they are so who's going to retrieve
those in when as it was just put out at
the sites and left there and then no
that we'll we'll retrieve them and and
dispose of them
properly thanks as I mentioned this was
just the
the made um tour if you will it'll be a
a scheduled thing that we'll probably do
at least every other week and we'll
increase it based on need and and amount
of contacts and the feedback we get um
on what they experience and do their
after action
reports and how long does it will you
will it take for you guys to figure out
who are those people are on in the
coordinate entry or where they are on
the list like how long has that process
take
I'm not 100% sure but I I would think it
would be in in a few days okay so days
days as opposed to weeks yes okay
yes but just being on the list doesn't
mean that that may take quite a while
and and it's a very intricate system um
people who are awarded vouchers
sometimes can wait 12 to 24 months and
sometimes longer before they get housing
even when they get the voucher but
different things affect where they're
they're ranked on that list right where
they're paid I know veterans are
definitely given priority are there
other things that come into play as far
as moving somebody up the list there is
so the length of time that you've been
out um health issues um all play a role
so there is a system there are other
people in the room that could talk much
better about that than I but um you know
how long you've been out and uh on the
the coordinated entry system so the
Outreach workers have to have contact
with the
individuals um and they need to update
every 90 days if they don't they get
dropped off of the list so if they don't
have a contact in 90 days they get
dropped off the list they go back to the
ground zero even if they were out for 18
months they lose one they're back at at
Zero from what I understand that's my
understanding of it does something like
What's Happening Now affect that
list it
may it may it may it may affect their
their so there are other people that can
talk better about that than
I thank you Chief y
I'll defer to the solicitor to expand
upon his initial draft thank you Mr
manager um what I tried to do was a
concerted effort to
avoid conflict as to what certain
communities had done in the past but
obviously we cannot please everyone so I
believe you all received a letter today
from the ACLU I did have a nice
10-minute conversation with step Brown
today and I asked and invited him to
provide us with any um assistance that
he could but I tried to break it down
into about 10 different parts number one
is the recognition and the
responsibility of this issue or problem
that faces the town of West War secondly
was to determine the health safety and
Welfare of all of its
citizens third the burden presented to
the town and its
employees number four the financial
burden it presents to its taxpayers
number five the dangerous elements that
exist within the encampments before we
even get to issues pertaining to
behavior or criminality those elements
are
fire garbage environmental because
there's sooner sooner or later demm is
going to have to address what's going on
on the river banks and what's being
placed into the river by the occupants
of the camps obviously the criminal
element issues pertaining to San itation
Clean Water and
Sewer I was cognizant of the fact and I
wanted to make it clear that just the
fact of sleeping outside in and of
itself is not a crime however criminal
Behavior just like in any society will
not be tolerated at all I was given a
directive that legal notice was to be
made to the existing
occupants um indicating that the
encampments shall be eliminated as of
December 2nd
2024 West War shall attempt to assist in
any type of Rel excuse me relocation or
assistance to those occupants however
that's going to be based upon monies
received from either the state or
federal government because as as Council
knows there's no supplemental money in
this year's fiscal budget to address
these issues so if Jeff Caldwell is
telling you right now there's a $22,000
cleanup cost for the 12 sites happening
once if it happens again and again and
again because the sites are filled up
there's just going to be an additional
expense not to cut you off but just to
add to that point that's 22,000 that's
also taking the guys off of the street
doing other jobs throughout the rest of
the town too but the the my 10th point
was the public has a continuing duty to
notify Public Safety in the town of West
War as to what is going on being silent
does not help the issue so if you see
any type of criminal activity you should
report it because as this Council has
been made aware several times in the
past say five years um the westw police
department do respond they do
investigate and if necessary they do
make arrest so uh the format of this
starting off with the Preamble and then
getting into some definitions and then
getting into some just notice uh issues
as it pertains to what can uh be
addressed regarding some of the criminal
activity and some of the other Behavior
uh is really as as it indicates it's a
draft so for those that want to make
changes whether you want to reduce the
uh with the content or you want to
increase the content it doesn't make a
difference to me I did put in um two
issues as it pertains to um information
we have received one from the federal
government the document that's entitled
19 strategies for communities to address
encampments humanely and effectively and
the second one is uh the Rhode Island
homeless Bill of Rights which was passed
in
2012 um so those documents are going to
be utilized along with the task force or
uh in order to come up with uh the
corrective action plans which are going
to be moving targets because things are
going to be changing especially now
since the weather's getting colder and
Winter's coming so um again it's a work
in progress uh any modifications
obviously will be uh put into writing so
at the second reading or at the first
amended reading because we basically
plan this out uh going backwards from
the December 2nd Date you're going to
have two additional meetings after this
one one will be the second meeting in
October and the first meeting in
November after the election would be the
date that if everything's U finalized
that would be the passing uh of the
second reading and then within 20 days
or December 2nd it would go into effect
so if there's any questions right now
about the ordinance I would be happy to
try to answer them any question from the
council Tim the town manager or the fire
chief I will open this up to the public
any comment or
concerns I don't want to cut everybody
off I think this young lady had her hand
up first
though hi my name is G La
um I've been going through uh I cook at
my house I cook at the house I'm staying
at and it's not my home but I cook there
and I Fe I go to the church and I feed
the Homeless every Tuesday Sunday I in
my church we feed in my chest we feed
them on Sunday um I've been around
everywhere and I explained to them that
the problem that you people are having
is because of the neat there's it's not
neat it's dirty it's garbage is it's
terrible so I recommended last time I
Was Here If instead of
paying $10,000 a year to have one one
person in jail
because they may get riled up they're
getting riled up by the police
already um one of my
friends the police officer went up to
him and said I want to see your shoes he
said for f he says I want to see your
shoes so he says all right so we checked
out shoes he said no you ain't the one
who robbed jenden why I I don't
understand why they're getting them
miled up all right maybe that's not
important to anybody but it's important
to me I'm trying to get them where
they're cleaning up the place
and uh we're trying to have them have
bags now why can't they have bags in a
garbage bucket whatever pale and then
when it's time for them to pick up the
garbage why can't they just come pick up
the garage why we all work together
instead of I mean if you had a child and
you were sick and tired of his drugs and
his drink and you threw him out would
you want him somewhere I mean in a tent
but would you want that tent knocked
down if they just clean up can we just
work together I mean I don't think
that's so
hard I wouldn't want my child out there
and um just because I can't handle the
drinking and the drugs I don't want him
having his tank now that's all they got
so that's going to make a problem and
then having
police officers harassing them enough is
enough come why we just work
together that's all I got to say I will
I will speak on my behalf I think we
have
tried um in the encampments we've worked
with paloski Street we've worked and
they just go from one side of the town
to the other to the other they leave the
same mess every I've been going around
and they've been cleaning it they have
it's all clean it's two tents again we
we went over this for hours last time
when you were here you know when people
are in their backyard who are living on
East Main Street as an example and they
can't sit in their backyard without
somebody doing something back there
illegally yelling profanities or saying
nasty things to their children it it's
it becomes a bur and it is a problem the
behind the
school that that should be being be
harassed we
unfortunately with this far away from
the school unfortunately with any
ordinance we cannot say not behind Maisy
Quinn not behind Morgan it all has to be
addressed exactly but this is like H way
into the woods and then it comes down
and it's like a city and it's they're
cleaning up I seen it today I went over
there today check up on them and uh it's
looks nice actually and I us in a
garbage bag so they are trying
thank you thank
you she she's next and she's raised her
hand just state your name and address
for the right my name is Alyssa um I
live in Bristol and I'm here tonight
because this specifically affects myself
and my children we have both been
homeless um it's important to me I also
volunteer for the coalition
and I speak on it's it's important to me
because each one of us are so close to
being a paycheck away from homelessness
I am in the middle of fighting an act of
eviction at home I am a domestic abuse
Survivor and I
um I was fortunate enough to secure a
Housing Voucher um given my
circumstances at home and I you probably
none of you know this but when you're on
the housing Choice voucher and you
receive Section 8 if you um have
something happen to you I'm going
through an act of eviction and it's
illegal but if you are evicted from your
home you lose that voucher and you end
up back on the streets so a lot of these
people who are in these
encampments are facing those
circumstances and they have nowhere else
to go and I pose you this question
I know that it's unsightly I know that
you don't want to see it where else do
you want them to
go you all have homes to go home to I'm
fortunate enough to have my home right
now but I could lose it at any moment I
lived in a shelter for a year with my
children a year and I wrote this very
fancy Bill and legislation that I wanted
pass and when I contacted the co ition I
found out that had already passed um and
I'd like to share it with you all and I
think that you guys know the statistics
but just to have it in your
face it's important these are difficult
realities to acknowledge as it forces
people to reimagine their ideas
surrounding homelessness it brings the
issue closer to your doorstep as it
should it affects every single one of us
and it could be closer than we'd like to
consider in 2019 a widely cited report
from the brokerage firm Charles and
Schwab found that 59% of Americans were
just one paycheck away from homelessness
a reality compounded by more recent
economic losses caused by covid this is
an uncomfortable real reality for many
let us not be fooled homelessness ends
when someone is in a home let's start by
removing the obstacles and get closer to
that Reality by working together
homelessness is a symptom of a traumatic
event the loss of a job the inability to
pay for needed health care costs
domestic abuse abuse or Mental Health
crisis why are we looking to pass
legislation that would further
traumatize the most vulnerable
population in our community and in the
world we should be working together to
remove these barriers identify the need
and care for those in the community but
yet we are criminalizing these
experiences with this proposal and these
folks are being further traumatized and
impacted their ability to overcome the
overwhelming obstacles that they are
already faced with it's damaging and
traumatizing and least people with no
choice no voice and no
shelter having a safe and decent place
to live is really a fundamental right
every one of th these folks in the
encampment is being told by this
legislation that they have no rights and
they're being taken away the decision
would also lead to Fuller further
polarization within the community
between the police department and this
atrisk community
in 2022 60.6% of homeless people were
cisgender men compared to 38.3% of
cisgender women around 1.1% were
Americans non-binary or questioning in
which 57% of unsheltered women report
that domestic violence was the immediate
cause of their
homelessness other adults are now the
fastest growing age group of those
experiencing homelessness composing
nearly half of the homeless population
according to an October 2023 Department
of Health and Human Services HHS report
more than 20% of all unhoused people
have a serious mental health condition
according to an article posted by the
National Alliance on Mental Illness
lastly of the 16.5 million veterans in
the US there is an estimated 37,000
homeless veterans in 2020 and around
15,000 living completely unsheltered
these are our veterans these are the
people that fought for our
country in January of 2023 there were
7.4 increase in the number of veterans
experiencing homelessness from 2022
according to case studies we over to our
society at large to be in charge of the
world and ensure a better future for all
of our neighbors our friends and our
foes we all deserve a hand up and the
opportunity to succeed let's be the
change that we want to
see thank you thank
you good evening um I'm Vincent marzulo
from 28 Crossland Road West Warwick uh
former national service uh director for
the federal government for 31 years also
deployed uh more than a half a dozen
times to oversee humanitarian relief
work around the country with hundreds of
national uh service members um I spoke
the last time we gathered to discuss
this issue and on some Sunday um I took
the liberty of getting on my bike going
on the bike path to do a informal
assessment um I'm shocked but not
unsurprised to hear the chief indicate
that there are at least a dozen sites I
visited two one directly in back of
Oregon uh in back of the uh on the side
of the uh uh skateboard park and it
seemed to be clean I I didn't I was by
myself I didn't make any direct contact
with anyone there um but it looked
orderly and um I didn't see any illegal
activity at that time I continued down
the bike
path and I was shocked that directly in
back of the West Warwick Mana where the
Housing Authority is located off the
bike path is another encampment with I
don't know at least two I think three
T but maybe about eight people one t had
an elderly woman over 70 years of age
who looked like she was in serious
mental uh in in serious health condition
as well as her 46 year old son both in
the tent laying there trying to rest
okay I Al I talked to one of the other
individuals there who was looking and
and asked if if she could get
Rehabilitation or drug treatment help
and another gentleman and and a
Gentleman who indicated he was a veteran
52 years old who does not have a drug
problem but he's got an alcohol problem
and he would like help
so yes this is complicated and we need
all Hands Medical
Logistics you know and support case
management housing to deal with this and
I'm still not sure whether the town has
asked for support from the league of
cities and towns and the state
delegation to really tackle this because
all the municipalities are becoming
overwhelmed with this issue our
solicitor made reference to the letter
that was transmitted this afternoon uh
to all of the members here that letter
was not only transmitted by the ACLU it
was transmitted by of Rhode Island
Housing advocacy project which I
volunteer and and um assist with the
Rhode Island Coalition for the homeless
which many years ago I provided national
service members to in order to begin
them to start their effort better Better
Lives Rhode Island which is a Case
Management Service Organization for the
homeless as well as the ACLU I'm not
going to read the whole letter there's
one paragraph though which sort of
summarize summarizes a sentiment that a
lot of people had have when they
attempted to read this proposed
ordinance and I'm still not sure what
today's item is whether this is really a
first reading of the proposed ordinance
because if this is the proposed
ordinance we have some serious problems
just let me read this one paragraph from
the ACLU finally purely on a drafting
level we find that the ordinance is
extremely difficult to follow it's
confusing and re and repetitive wording
along with its perplexing inventory of
dozens of state statutes and United
ordinances leaves a reasonal person
without a clear understanding of exactly
what is prohibited indeed the ordinance
is so broadly worded it would appear to
subject to penalties a dve dri who pulls
their car over on the side of the road
to nap before continuing on their way
so you know this document H however you
are classifying it tonight God help us
if it ever becomes an ordinance as my
old buddy and God Rest his soul Joe
penger would say this has become a
lawyer's dream apparently where they're
just spending hundreds and hundreds of
ours to come up with verbiage and
language whether it really meets the
true test of the law and allows us to
deal with this in a more responsible and
humane way
so I I suggest this thing as the letter
indicates be withdrawn and and be
reworked if it's really going to be
entertained and be done much more
thoughtfully and seriously there's
there's too much missing from this do
document that's only going to invite
legal challenges and embarrassment to
this community and we should attempt to
address this problem in a more
collaborative way with Community
religious organizations and the support
of of our state delegation and the
governor they have continued to walk
away from this Duty and as some of you
might may now know we are in discussions
with attorneys to obtain a RIT of
mandate fam in order to order and direct
the inter agency Council on homelessness
which has failed in its responsibility
for eight years in dealing with this
issue to do their job those individuals
18 of them including the lieutenant
governor are identified in that law and
they have a duty as a result of their
oath to fulfill them that mandate which
was to develop a state strategic plan
and end homelessness in Rhode Ireland
they walked away from it in 216 and now
we have the result of this and and we're
expected in individual municipality by
municipality to have to deal with it
it's outrageous you should join us in
the community in seeking the rid of
mandamus so that the state officials who
are required to address this thing in a
more resourceful way do it instead you
know where's the leadership and where is
the real we can't criminalize a way out
of this you don't have the cops you
don't have the EMT guys I mean th I mean
this is nice but it's not going to get
us there it's only going to complicate
things and we're going to wind up
looking like
buffoons and we shouldn't be there I
mean we should set an example with the
new housing secretary with the governor
when he comes back from vacation he
should be here dealing with this how
does the answer to the people who are on
the bik pad
tonight doesn't happen
you know so I I just ask again that the
better angels that we have inside of us
that we deal with this in a more
responsible way thank you for your time
thank you VIN I I kind of have to Echo a
lot of the sentiments from Vinnie That
We're Not Gonna rest our way out of this
and even if even if this was the
ordinance that we used it's really not
enforceable it's almost like some of
those ordinances to to do we have enough
we don't really have enough manpower to
go out there and
really to really eliminate all the tents
in the entire town I just don't think
it's really possible to do I mean if
somebody wants to correct me if I'm
wrong I don't I don't think we have
enough even if even if we wanted to I
don't think it's possible first let me
speak on you know we talked about the
task force and the Chief came up here
and said you know doing the actual tour
of the sites they're able to find out
what's needed the town is more involved
than ever now we have been very involved
over the past year and a half for two
years where we were having conference
calls on almost every Monday I know Mary
Beth and myself were on there trying to
come up with Solutions so the town is
very passionate and and very concerned
about the person who's living in those
encampments and we want to make sure
it's safe we want to make sure it's
clean we want to make sure the
neighborhoods is safe and clean for the
the residents who are living here so
it's it's not a time where we just say
get them out and we don't want them here
we as a department heads and and task
force and all the groups that are trying
to help are getting closer and closer to
figuring it out now is December 2nd a
deadline we would like to set that date
we set that date but if there's
individuals that need help with
alcoholism and all that let's try to get
them that help that's the first step you
know it's not just drugs and alcohol
it's it's abuse it's whatever it may be
but every person and we said it here
last time has their own story but
there's different stories and different
circumstances and there's going to be
people who don't want the help and
that's where we need to really push back
if somebody doesn't want the help and
doesn't want and wants to live on Town
property and destroy it then they should
not be welcome that's that's what we
were saying three hours in three and a
half hours last
meeting also all all encampments are
really not created equally I think that
some of these issues out there are
terrible and it's it's also dangerous
for our police fire if we expect our DPW
to go out there and clean it it's it's
going to be a
mess and I and I just want to State you
know and Jay you said it numerous times
every time we talk about this We Kick
the Can down the road we ignore it we
don't do nothing about it we just sit
here and discuss it well we finally said
we're going to do something about it and
now some people want to kick the can
down the road so we can be here next
year doing the same conversation
why can't you just do what I asked like
give them bags it's cheaper and let them
clean it and put it in the bucket we've
given dumpsters we've given bags we've
given well let's let let's do it again
let's try it
again and you did say last week that
they would be arrested you did say that
last week I specifically said I don't
want to see anybody get arrested because
if that person has an opportunity to get
a job and if that wre is going to stop
them from getting a job what disservice
did we I was here last
week no I'm telling you what I said if
nobody wants to vote it was said that
they would get arrested they could be on
the property and it's up to the building
or the the landlord to get them up but
if they do something crial they're going
to get arrested two different situations
but they're pushing them to get they're
pushing them they're talking about two
different situations this is Town
property we're talking about this
ordinance now if they're on private
property it's up to the main lord of the
building it's not up to this Council to
deal with right the council is
responsible for Town property okay if
they're on private property that could
be a trespassing order that could be
something else that has nothing to do
with us so yes they could be asked to
leave or if they're on private property
with permission there's actually nothing
the town could do at that point that's
right so that's what I tried to explain
I don't want to see one person get
arrested and not have an opportunity to
get a job because of that arrest I
unless unless that they're doing
something that's Al not just for being
homeless exactly but right now they're
getting pushed and I don't think it's
fair they're getting harassed and I feel
like they getting harassed till December
2nd where they're going to be all ready
all aggravated and then they're getting
ready to G to fight back and I told them
don't fight I know one situation about
sneakers a kid was playing down at um
the basketball courts down in N uh River
Point River Point he turned around his
sneakers were gone they filed the police
report so yes they probably were looking
for the kid sneakers that were playing
basketball and he turned around to find
them going can I tell you the story that
the police officer said to him somebody
was stealing somebody stole it gendrin
that's why he wanted to check out a
sneaker I know the guy personally he's a
friend of mine he called me up and told
me about it he's getting harassed by the
cops I said what for he said the cop
came up to him and asked him he want to
see his sneakers he said what for he
said I just want to see a sneaky said oh
check he checked the sneaky said no
that's not you he say so happy goes
because somebody stole at
gendrin that's what the story was
because it happened to
him I'll bring him in you can ask I'm
good thank you any other public comment
just state your name and address for the
record uh Sarah Tucket Rhode Island um
obviously I don't live in West Warwick
but I have worked in West Warwick for
many years doing Street Outreach um I no
longer conduct Street Outreach in a
professional way but like to come out my
personal time when I can um just to
qualify um I know a lot of the concerns
around the encampments have to do with
legal illegal activity uh issues of
Sanitation disruption noise you name it
um and I just can't help but think of
the obvious with that is that those all
go away when people get housed right
you're seeing all that take place
outside because they have nowhere else
to go um and like the other folks who so
gracefully spoke before me um if you
keep pushing people around that's still
not going to solve the problem you're
just moving them to a different block or
a different neighborhood where the same
exact issue is going to repeat itself in
Forever um with no real solution I'm not
in favor of this ordinance it doesn't it
doesn't create any positive avenues for
people to Access housing it's vague and
it's approach in saying that the council
or the town will work with individuals
um even if the town were to work with
individuals to locate and find shelter
or housing they merely do not exist in
our state they are not to the capacity
that we need them um I know a lot of
folks are talking about substance use
and alcohol use um yeah it's true that
some people are not interested in
treatment because every time they go to
treatment they come back out and they
have to live in a tent in the woods so
for me I'm a person in recovery if I was
living outside number one I would
absolutely be drinking to numb that pain
um and two I went to treatment what is
the point what is the point of me
turning my life around when I'm going to
have to go back outside into a tent um
and then regards to the needles there
are needle exchange programs that come
into West Warwick and dispose of those
needles um in my experience when going
out there um I have not ever seen it to
be a major problem in the town of West
Warwick I'm sure someone has seen once
in their life before but I've never seen
it be a large problem um tonight I
haven't heard any real solutions to the
problem and how to address the housing
issue in West Warwick and what we're
actually going to do before December 2nd
because I can guarantee you nobody's
going to get house between now and
December 2nd they probably won't even
find sustainable shelter most shelters
are shortterm or for intermediate you're
only in there overnight and then you're
out in the morning um so none of these
really feel like it's going to get to
the issue and we're going to keep
spinning our Wheels over and over again
and you're going to have a higher crime
rate in West Warwick because you're
going to keep arresting people that have
no else to go I know you said you don't
want to arrest people but that's
ultimately what ends up happening um and
I would just like to see people get
housed it's not um these are everyone's
neighbors whether you want to admit it
or not these aren't people coming from
different towns most of these people are
from West Warwick themselves um and I
would like to see better support of our
neighbors um and that's all I have to
say thank you thank you
sir d62 Avenue we're losing track of the
entire topic here the topic is the
health and well-being of our citizens
and our children these people are living
in camps at fields at places where
children play we're losing track of the
entire situation okay yes I'm
compassionate they're homeless they need
a place to live they don't need a place
to live where children are at play where
families are trying to do family
activities I experienced a situation
last week I'm working at my building
behind Riverpoint I hear sirens and
sirens and Sirens I'm like man that
place on fire I go back there cuz I hear
the air brakes I sit in my truck and I
watch it's a Saturday you got families
on the softball field you got families
in the playground you got families on
the soccer field and you got apparatus
all around that place because somebody
OD that's what the situation is here and
that's what these people are missing
number two all these advocates in here
listen to them they're from Pentucket
they're from Smithfield they're from
here they're from there how about coming
from West War none of them from West War
if they're so worried about what's going
on in West War take them home with you
it's that easy bring them to your
community they're not all bad people I
get it
however I know not one of you will
probably take a walk through River Point
right now without an officer or somebody
that's going to stand up to help protect
you I'm gonna tell you that right now
I'll go through there if you want to
come with me it's a mess they're losing
track they're trying to throw dust at
you guys guys the dust is it's a safety
factor for the people of this community
the children of this community you have
a river walk down there that the town
invested money in for families to go
enjoy for kids to ride their bikes you
can't do that right now and then the
island you need to literally take a
bulldozer and push that over because
you're not going to put your DPW guys
down there and I'm going to tell you
Hazmat people are probably not going to
want to go down there either
it's a mess that's what this is about
this is about what they're doing to our
community what they're doing to our town
facilities not what they're doing living
in their tent sleeping whatever I get
that everybody's down and out once in a
while or most people that's what they
got to do they do it's not those people
that are causing this
problem it's people that don't want the
help it's people that want to do drugs
it's people that want to whatever they
don't want the help I'm in employer they
don't want a
job it's not it's not difficult it's not
difficult they're our select few yeah
there's I know the family they're
talking about behind uh The Manor the
kid worked for me back in the
days very good kid got caught up in
drugs that's where he ended up we tried
helping him time and time again he
worked for me at least six to seven
times different
occasions didn't want to help
but I gave him a job until he couldn't
handle the job no more until he started
bringing it to the job when you bring it
to the job and it's in my truck you
don't have a
job that's what this is about this is
not about all the homeless us feel bad
for them yeah we feel bad for the ones
that are legitimately homeless and down
and out and need the help we can't feel
bad for all of them but it's the bad
ones that are not making it easy for the
good ones and you have to do it as a
Full Slate you can't pick and choose now
the
ordinance I mean for me if I'm going to
write an ordinance or law I'm not going
to Target the homeless and put it in Ro
you encampments is a different word it
should have been encampments on every
line item not homeless homeless you're
targeting A specific
group he gets paid good money you should
have known
that right you're targeting a group
that's why they're all here that's why
you got the media here because you're
targeting a group you're not targeting
camp
sites now I don't know how you
backpedal you put it out to the public I
would never put out the public either
until the draft was R through and
probably Homeless was taken out because
now now you're kind of stuck so as a
taxpayer and a business owner in this
town I still got to deal with it at
River Point because they're going to win
and you're going to
lose that's all I got to say thank
you my name is Umberto goes I'm from
Texas I'm not from here uh I came here
for my lady she's from here family's
from here I only came here just to as
for her father hand in marriage things
didn't turn out all right kicked me out
into the
streets I live for a while slept at the
24-hour 24/7 laund I don't know if y'all
know where that is down over there where
is that I don't know the address I'm not
from around you but I sleep for about
almost a month because I didn't know
where else to go if it it wasn't for the
head helping me out I wouldn't have a
tent I wouldn't have where I could be
comfortable to sleep after I come out of
work from Aloha Pizza I work at Aloha
Pizza try and make some money get some
food I don't have food stamps I don't
know how to even go about that to me
that was only a a female thing but now I
I guess it's both I don't know I don't
know these things nobody tells me these
things nobody teach me so I just go with
work get your money get food survive I
understand everybody has issues with
some homeless men and women that don't
want the help I understand that there's
very understanding but the ones that do
like May said earlier when they notified
to saying hey you guys got to clean up
your act you can walk where where we are
we have a very clean area now you
mentioned about having issues about
garbage about 22,000 or something like
that it's like she said or someone else
said why not ask us to clean it up you
can ask us and we'll we'll help whoever
group goes to help up and clean up for
free I mean we don't I only work some
days I have some other days that are off
and I can help clean clean up Wendy has
asked me a few times hey can you clean
this heyle clean that I got you Wendy I
cleaned the TR the needles that were
under the train I cleaned those the
trash that was under the train I cleaned
those not asking for money not asking
for anything else just hey let me know
some of us want to get out of this
situation we don't like it but if you're
attacking on or saying hey camping is
not allowed in public property that's
all the camping which you stay or said
permission from for a public uh property
if you have permission from public
property you can be there is that right
private private private but did you say
public early or no okay so how do you
even go about any of that I mean where
it's like they said the problem is
goingon to be going somewhere else I'm
not asking to I I I'm not very familiar
with all this I'm not ready with that
more I'm not even from here but if I'm
GNA get told hey I'm sorry you need to
leave I'm from Texas I don't even know
where to go you know I I we're stuck out
here because the situation just threw us
at hand you know
um I've been homeless for a while that
really all that is to it if it wasn't
for Wendy helping me with a tint a
blanket and you know some extra clothes
period of clothes I didn't have money to
wash uh my clothes yet I was sleeping in
the
laundromat I appreciate that I don't
even know what really is the real issue
if you just need someone to clean up
some trash just talk to us some of us
are just going to be like you know what
yeah some of us will say no I understand
that but some of us that do want to make
hey let's help each other out then okay
help each other out hey can you go to
this Camp I know it's not your Camp can
you clean it up just let me know hey I
work Wednesday I can't do it Wednesday
but I could do it Friday hey I work
Friday I could do it Sunday if I'm not
working Sunday or I'm not helping or I'm
not doing anything else you know what I
mean that if we can come in
understanding like hey you know what
there's a trash over here and if it
continues to make a trash then you know
what fine whoever is staying there penal
gets the penalty of hey you know what
you there's just trash everywhere you
know not everybody's doing this but you
all are I mean come on if you guys got
you know maybe a week or two he's not
clean then go go ahead and do what you
need to do but to the ones that are
trying their best the ones that sleep
outside when it's cold the ones that are
trying to get food the ones that are
tired of camp food okay they're trying
they didn't they didn't even tell us
they told us about a day and actually
the day before they told us I started
cleaning asked my li baby I started
clean just because I didn't do anything
I didn't have any work I said you know
what I'm bored I don't do anything else
I only smok marijuana I don't touch
nothing else I don't like I don't got I
got way too much responsibility for that
but it's like they mentioned some do
want the help some don't want the help I
understand that that's a very delicate
balance but all I'm here for is just to
explain my situation and some that
relate to it that hey you know what this
is you were just put in a bad situation
at a bad time and you're just trying to
do your best to get out of it like I
said I work at a l hot pizza I I I only
work a couple days maybe anytime they
call me hey we need an extra person I'll
go you know I I do my best I try to
clean up around as much as I can it is a
pin ands I admit but it has someone has
to do it and if y'all don't talk to us
we don't know nothing you know you don't
you know what we don't even know each
other you can come up to me hey can you
don't mind cleaning this and this and
that I'll do it but if they keep doing
it then penalize them I know you're from
Wendy because I adopted the spot where
the Caboose was and she told me you
cleaned out from underneath it because I
thank you because usually it's it's
usually myself and my wife and my kids
that are under there clean I just worry
about kids too trying to climb on the
train thank
you you can I'm gonna let her go
next just just state your name for the
record that's hi I'm Sophia years old
I'm Sophia sorry I'm 10 years old um
when I was four years old I had to go
into a homeless shelter because our
landlord uh she didn't like us because
of um my brother's dad my stepfather um
we had to go into the family shelter and
when I was 5 years old we moved out into
br so um and it was brought to my
attention that um the police have been
tearing apart uh tents for the um that
homeless people sleep in and I didn't
like that because um I like to help the
homeless and I have a quote no act of
kindness no matter how small it is is
ever
wasted thank you you thank
you joh 62 Angels
Avenue that gentleman right here I'm
offering you a job right now you come
and see
me I'll give you a job you show that you
want some
help now the rest of your Advocates here
can anybody tell
me John address address the council a
you and then you can I'd like to know
how many of the these
Advocates have a track record of helping
somebody and like you said and I said it
last week I'm so tired of we just always
do kick it down the
road we need to do something like my son
said this has nothing to do with the
homeless quote this has to do with the
protection of the town and the people in
the
encampment we've all said including our
officials it is dangerous it's un
safe it's your responsibility to make it
safe the only way you can make it safe
is they can't live there okay it's a sad
fact of
life but like this gentleman here and
like my son told you we've hired so many
people for different reasons you try to
give them a chance some of them make it
to the Finish Line some of them make it
to the first
paycheck some of them die on
you but you can't put them all in one
group all right and there is a very
large group okay and I'm no social
worker that just don't want the
help they don't want it you've said it
other people have said it but the
advocation that goes here they roll it
up in one ball I don't think that's very
professionalism of them they have to
have the knowledge if they're in the
field that there are areas that you are
never going to save and when the priest
was here the other day I said that that
God can't save him at this point we can
only save what is savable like I believe
this gentleman is just by listening to
him okay and I have no problem putting
them on my payroll but if he fails me I
have no problem getting rid of
them but at least I was able to give him
a chance I've had him come through well
you never going to do anything with them
never and we have to face that fact it
might be sad but you got to face it help
who can get help the rest of them it's a
it's collateral damage what do you want
to do with it unless you want to take
them home you want to take them home you
want to put them in your houses I think
these Advocates the way they talk they
should take them home because they're
saving the world but how come we got
this
problem
D she can disrespect me all she wants
but that's all I've got to say I really
would like to see this resolved but we
need to stick with what we started off
to do the town you cannot be responsible
for these lives or someday we're going
to have one hell of an inant I pray to
God it never
happens because it's well known of the
dangers if something happens
there reliable thank you if it continues
in the crowd I want to have whoever is
doing it please leave
my name is Anna KY I live on West Street
and we have all these activists back
there like they they they claim to be
social workers or whatever but they had
they have failed I mean the chief said
he went back there found two people
right away that need detox but the other
issue is a lot you you should think
about the children we've heard from a
child there are children in West Warwick
also do you know the age restriction to
give out free needles do you know
anybody know I bet you know because you
don't miss a Thundermist meeting do you
do you do you know there's no age
restriction how many feet do they have
to be from a school to give out needles
there's no restriction there's none and
and these people are getting all their
free needles and they're going to stay
in that situation but that's the future
of the children too when I was younger
in the 80s we didn't get needles so we
didn't use needles the only people that
use needles were Vietnam bets that
nobody would bother but they're making
it like oh look Joy let's put little
Rainbow stickers on it and there's no
age restriction you cannot let the town
go like this because of the kids plus
there was somebody here one day saying
that some rapist on thatth comes out
near Ma quinnn and it seems like that
the they should be outside with protest
signs not in here but you need to worry
about the people it is sad homeless
people is sad but they haven't triaged
them separated veterans drug addicts
they haven't done that and now it's all
on us on the town we have to do
that you have to worry about the
children that live in the town they
shouldn't be walking down the path with
somebody on math that rapes people in
the woods like what is this the whole
conversation is about The Advocates that
came from Bristol and everywhere like
you need to worry about our kids you
need to find out what are the age
restrictions can we make laws about that
that in the town of West Warwick you
don't give kids needles you it was on my
street West Street as far as I know we
don't have a c encampment but there were
needles on our
street and that those things it's never
going to get better unless you end that
and they're not going to solve the
problem because they'll lose
funding thank you excuse me I'm just
gonna say a few words off the cuff here
I have been cyclically homeless since
2019 and I have lived in every single
town in this state okay for all those
naysayers and live in Bristol and I
might present like a very
nice person in my very nice hair in my
Tiffany's Jewelry but there's a reason
for that I am the face of
homelessness
okay so I am an advocate and I help
people on a daily basis whether it's
navigating the HUD system looking for a
place to sleep getting a woman who was
just beaten into uh Lucy's Hearth
because she doesn't have a place to stay
with her children that's what Advocates
do they don't come up on stage and offer
people jobs because they want to be
martyrs so I am here because
homelessness is an issue and I'm very
concerned that passing this legislation
is going to follow suit for every other
community that wants to turn a blind eye
to what is going on in this state that's
why I'm here that's why I'm concerned it
affects every single one of us every
single
person my children and I have been
devastated and like I
explained I volunteer for the Coalition
but the Coalition has just rescinded a
job offer for a community-based
program that I was looking for and when
they res sended that job offer I went to
um Warren Buffet house DHS uh the
woman's Resource Center all and Lucy's
Hearth all with in that week because I
had no gas in my car um no internet
service no cell phone service every
single Financial organization with my
nice clothes and my nice jewelry turned
me away and my family every single one
of those organizations and if they're
turning me away and my family who are in
need who is who who's not needing these
programs so that's just all I have to
say it needs to be we need to work work
on a program as a community I think that
gentleman who came up here was like it
was mind-blowing to me to listen to his
story he came here from Texas and he's
doing his job like if you want to see
community at its Forefront that's where
you should go those people are working
together they're cleaning together
they're cooking together they're they're
working as a as a
unit it's not all they're shooting up
and
swinging needles around it's work work
as a community to try to find a
resolution that's what we should be
doing here not just getting upset and
really like try to found a foundation to
try to work as a community I heard
something about there's a field in the
back that was by the young woman uh
there's a field in the back what about
like proposing somewhere that someone
where people can go and have some type
of community where they can come
together we can
set up space for them so that they don't
feel like they have to be pushed from
one place to another where they're not
in maybe peripheral vision but we can
work on this it's not kicking the can
down the road but it's not criminalizing
the people who are here and living they
still have to live and yes I do help the
homeless and I lived in Providence my
entire life I'm not
uncomfortable this is what I
do all right um I just want to
reiterate and I want to just have this
another three-hour meeting tonight over
this subject so please just I want to
cut the comments down if you've been up
already this will be the last time this
will be the last time I apologize I just
wanted to correct some
misinformation um particularly around
needle exchange uh the reason with the
needle exchange the comment about the
80s and having a restriction on needle
exchange services we don't want to do
that again because in the ' 80s we had a
problem with an HIV epidemic we're
trying to avoid that the reason why
we're not in an HIV epidemic is because
we have needle exchange programs and
other communicable diseases so I just
want to nip that in the bud before that
snowballs into anything else ever again
um and I just want to reorient this
conversation because some people are
speaking about other human beings like
their subhuman and throwaway and
monsters as someone who did work here
and did help a lot of people I could
show you my wrap sheet you'd probably be
impressed um people who are serving the
community aren't doing nothing so I
don't know where that piece of
information came from they are working
very hard for very little money and a
lot of times volunteer a lot of folks
here who are advocating are volunteer
who don't get paid anything so I want to
clarify that too because it's
disrespectful to the people out here who
are trying their best to solve for a
problem that would also benefit everyone
in this
community it's we can't talk about
people like their throwaway these are
human beings there are some people in
this audience today who are experiencing
homelessness and you are dogging them
like they don't matter or they don't
deserve a home because they use drugs
also just because someone use drugs does
not mean they don't deserve a home I
don't know where you would get that
logic from they're not like I said
subhuman treat people with
respect Dennis canel lris Avenue West w
um I'm I'm coming up here because I've
been homeless I was homeless in my teen
years for two years uh let me tell you
it wasn't because of Advocates helping
me out because I had plenty of people
that wanted to help me when I was
younger and I didn't want to hear it
from any of them I wanted to do my own
thing and if it wasn't for me helping
myself I would have never gotten out of
that
situation I'm also a disabled vet
I'm not 100% disabled so let me tell you
I'm living on a a minimal
income everyone keeps on talking about
it's a homeless issue it's a homeless
issue no it's a housing issue we have we
have problems with all of these multif
family houses being sold out to all
these large congruent of population that
has the money to uh get housing voes for
all these migrants coming into this town
how many of our students are now Spanish
speaking where's that money coming from
we have to take this out of our tax time
my taxes just went up guess what so did
my mortgage me as a disabled vet living
off of my payment guess what I'm having
to cut more and more things out of my
life and I'm not I'm just barely eating
I'm not even leaving my house because I
can't pay for the gas it it's ridiculous
I mean I understand people people go
through hard times and but drugs are not
the answer and if you're staying on the
streets because you're doing drugs
you're never going to want to help
yourself because you are constantly in
that state of euphoria you are
constantly trying to get away from the
life that you're in that you don't want
to take part in that's what you're
doing
and trust me I I've had friends that
have died from drugs I've had friends
that have come back from drugs and it's
never an easy thing now that it's
becoming more and more prominent of the
mental issues that we're having in
today's society people don't know
whether they're a girl or a boy people
boys dressing as girls girls I mean
girls have dressed as boys for decade
but I mean it's we're so off of the
factual tracks that we're just coming up
with excuses at this
point and I don't see anything happening
I I loved it I keep on you
man I text you all the
time okay uh uh about all the yes
alcohol bottles and stuff along that
line let me tell you if they're out
there to commit crimes they're out there
to commit crimes where the police are
out there to protect the people from the
crimes and
we do need to do
something uh I'll agree just pushing
them from place to place isn't going to
help
anything um but what we need to do is we
need to get with the higher ups over in
the uh state house and tell them they
need to stop uh sending all their
migrants to us so that we can actually
have some housing for us because when
you stop putting 30,000 people in a
society of 60,000 people guess what
you're going to displace a third of
those
is it our
job to take care of the world or is it
our job to take care of our communities
and
ourselves oh I will say this on the
council's behalf it's our job to protect
this
community considering we pay taxes that
is correct a
and what what another thing that the
migrant influx is also doing is taking
away our lower jobs hold on sir I just
want to stop you there as far as going
about the migrant community and so on
and so forth that's that's maybe a
national issue and I know it was brought
up here last time that in West War I'm
not sure how many migrants are in here
causing homeless in West War I I'm not
sure so and and I can't answer that
question but I have I I know for a fact
homeless has been up over 30% over last
year it's up over 30% versus last year
where it is this year yeah and within
the last two years
four houses four multif family houses
all of a sudden turn Spanish speaking
straight up in my just in my general
vicinity huh whether they're Spanish
speaking English speaking non-english
speaking I just had ice on one of them
because they children one of their child
was peeping into Windows of houses okay
but that has nothing to do with the
homeless situation right now they're
taking the
housing oh I I I I think what the
biggest problem with the housing is the
cost of housing housing when you're
selling a two family house for almost
$500,000 the landlord has to make that
rent granted okay gr that's where it is
people cannot afford to live I don't
care if it's English non-english
whatever it is you can't afford $2,800 a
month to rent their apartment so again
let's keep this on to the homeless and
not Spanish speaking or whoever well I'm
just bringing it to the point that we
have multif family houses with legal
immigrants in our neighborhoods right
now displacing west warens
people who have grown up here as The
Advocates keep on saying but but we
don't matter as long as the immigrants
can come in and take our houses and take
our jobs and just push us out guess what
uh this W Ward jayin is going to be a
Democrat come up next uh election come
up this election I'll guarantee it
because you're gonna have all kinds of
Spanish people who already who are
already the election is going on and I
think the councilman is running Unos so
I don't not sure what you're talking I'm
talking about they're going to be voting
they have already started mail and
ballots are people are being registered
to vote thank
you hi Kathy Schultz I do not live in
West W but my family has their name on
the churches here and my family
immigrated here and I lived here but
many many I'm an honorary aren't I thank
you um I really just want to come up
here and again like broken record say
that there are some solutions that we
all have been working on um I want to
thank the town manager um and even when
you were the former police um Chief um I
want to thank the Town Council um for
continuing to have these conversations
I've mentioned it a couple of times um I
do think that this is a entire King
County issue the 44 people that um Chief
Aron had mentioned I bet you there's
some more over on the carpentry line and
also on the W line along the bike path
um I had said last time when I was here
the solution is a 247 navigation Center
um I know that you all have been talking
about this I'm not saying that this is
all the towns but what I'm saying as the
solution is continue to talk to your ab
buding cities and towns continue to try
to come up with a K County solution you
know some kind of regional solution
because the reality is is we heard this
and Vinnie is completely on point the
fact is is that the ordinance that you
want to do is has a lot of holes in it
um and it's going to create a inhumane
way of dealing with the situation I'm
not going to even talk about drug use or
drug not use I've said it before I am a
person in live with lived experience I'm
a person who was a single mother who was
evicted probably eight to nine 10 times
and lived in West walwick because I
couldn't afford my rent even when I
wasn't using drugs okay I don't this is
not I know that we talk about the
needles and we talk about the harm
reduction and we talk about all the
stuff when it comes to substance use we
talk about people who want treatment and
then you know at that day at that moment
they want treatment but the reality is
we heard from somebody who actually did
Outreach here that you can get somebody
into treatment matter of fact I'm going
to quote somebody who is experiencing
homelessness at are one of our
remembrances and the state was here at
that time I was working here in West w
and he got on the mic and what he said
was we need help we're
dying he's one of the people that you
all ran into when you were out there he
was in a shelter he even maybe had a
voucher but he couldn't find a unit and
he's back outside again better yet he
might be in jail because of whatever his
name Got Run he might be in jail guess
what he loses a voucher I've said this
what he said is we need help and even if
I go to treatment or and I go to detox I
end up back out here again what's the
point of going so I just want to remind
you all of that there is a solution and
that is a regional solution that is
having conversations with your other
cities and towns talking to Vinnie
listening to some of the advice that
he's giving you and really thinking
about how can we get some type of
something here in the Kent County area
because the reality is there is nothing
there is not a shelter you have thunder
mest you have thrive
and you have Outreach that comes here
it's there's not enough resources in
this community and I do think and I want
to also say what Gail keeps saying we
need to work together I know you all
have been but let's work with the people
that are actually out there that's all I
have thank you thank you I just want to
reiterate you know Vin keeps asking if
it's the first reading and yes it is on
the agenda of his first reading and I
just want to point out this Council has
seen drafts of this but we can't sit
there behind the scenes and Talk Amongst
the five of us to discuss this it's
illegal it's called a rolling quarum if
anybody's involved in politics you would
know
that we have to discuss this in public
in any changes that we want to make we
would have to make it in public I cannot
sit here and say hey Jay I think this
should be changed Mary Beth I think that
and we can all agree behind the scen
could do that but wait a minute hold on
sorry it's it's the point of your
election laws and your laws as a
politician you have to follow those
laws so that's why we are here talking
about it tonight as a collaborative
group we had three and a half hours last
time to talk about it we directed Our
Town manager and our town solicitor to
put something together now first reading
we can make changes if any and I'm sure
everybody up here has been listening and
wants to discuss this okay we can make
those changes in those those suggestions
go back to the drawing board but it's up
to this Council publicly to talk about
it that is why it's here before us
tonight thank you is
it procedural
proced so you you obviously can either
propose some amendments tonight yep or
approve it as is or direct someone or
some people to work work on this and
then come back and if you do come back
how is the would an amended ordinance is
the clock reset no if we take no action
tonight right then it doesn't act as a
first reading if we take some action
tonight amend and approve that is the
actual first reading it would come
before the council for a second reading
after the second reading that would be
approved and 20 days after would go into
yeah just trying to understand that's
the procedure right okay thank you thank
you okay any comments from the council
um so after listening to everybody
tonight um there's this is a lot to
digest and obviously the five of us make
that make that decision to move
forward I agree something needs to be
done I think we've all talked about that
um the one thing though you know and and
looking at this and listening to
everybody and taking
notes I'm for taking this back looking
at this again
on my own and making any suggestions to
the solicitor and to the manager without
involving any of you and I
can I would suggest that we all do that
and at that point that comes back to us
just like it did and we can sit here and
have a true first
reading I I don't disagree with you Jay
I mean I I am not prepared to to vote on
this as it's presented haven't had the
time to to really wanted to hear what
people had to say and this is we get
it's a delicate issue I just C you off
I'm sorry it's okay go ahead finish
sorry um it is a it is a delicate issue
we all realize that
um and I'm not going to elaborate
anymore because I think we've talked
about it enough obviously there there
are different sides to this um the only
my main concern though is is listening
to some people is is safety and that's
whether you're a child or an adult
you're out in an encampment or you're
walking on the street and the concerning
thing is some of the reports we get from
from Chief line which we get every week
on it's it's a report on each of our
Wards so we can condense it and that
doesn't just it's not about um it's
about everything larsy breaking in a car
crash um some of the reports that we get
from some of the encampment areas are
very disturbing and they're unsafe and
some involve needles um which is a big
topic um some also involve assaults
so um and the way some of the things so
it is
concerning but as Council people our
role is to respond to our citizens and
that doesn't mean that doesn't matter
where you live so and we all get calls
for different
reasons and at that point you know you
have to address those it's a concern to
it's a somebody calls me for example I
think I can speak for the whole Council
because they have a concern it becomes
our concern that's our job that's why
we're elected and our job is also to
listen so sometimes I say things to
people and it's very very point I'm not
going to give you the answer that you
want to he but this is the result that
came up and this is the reason why so um
tonight I I along with everyone didn't
say a whole heck of a lot we wanted to
listen um to everyone and um I'm going
to take this back and dissect it and put
any of my thoughts to the manager and to
the the
solicitor so we as a council last time
charged the solicitor and the town
manager with a a task probably wasn't
truthfully could be done correctly in
two weeks and we charged them with that
it was a a valiant effort it starts the
ball rolling it certainly has has
created some conversation I don't feel
we're kicking uh any can down the road I
think that the task force should
continue I think that's important that
we're out engaging uh at the
encampments I for one am in no way shape
or form in favor of criminalizing
homelessness I just I that's not
something I'll ever vote for I just
can't so I do believe and someone talked
about weeding out if you will and we
talked last time about but it's about
the behavior it's about and if you're
doing something illegal you should be
arrested I don't think anybody disagrees
with that but that doesn't mean that
everyone that is in the unfortunate
situation of living in an encampment is
a criminal and I just I U so I think we
have to think about all that Tim I think
you did Yen's work to get it to us when
you did it's a starting point uh I think
we do have to listen to and we'd be
foolish not to take the help of the ACLU
excuse me the ACLU and the groups that
have offered help to us we might as well
all work together to figure something
out so but please understand though if
people are doing something that is going
to harm someone else absolutely or or
not abide by the the laws then the
police are instructed to go out and
instructed to do their job and they will
and if somebody the problem is and
anytime somebody is told no there's a
problem but you can't you can't be be
drunk on the sidewalk you know you can't
go to the bathroom on this bench you
can't do it and when they go to enforce
that all of a sudden there's a problem
and they're being picked on no you can't
do it it's that simple and I I'm sorry
but I can't defend that whether you live
in an En you live down the street it
doesn't matter you can't do it it's that
simple that's correct and when those
things are happening you can't ignore
those I agree and to me that's not a
homelessness issue at all that's a be
said it last week many or last meeting
many times it's a behavior thing you
just can't do
it we we've just I've reiterated this
fact over and over it's about being a
good neighbor you can be a good neighbor
and be homeless you can be a good
neighbor and I think a lot of the issues
specifically for this town I know it's
become uh that we're the coun council's
anti-homeless
but if you nobody wants to be living in
the woods I don't think most most people
do not want to be but if if it's the
ones that are causing issues and
especially I have to say we're kind of
lumping all this together and I know you
said we have to but I think it's there's
specific hot spots and areas in this
town which are not only safe unsafe for
the unhoused but they're unsafe for our
police and fire that have to make calls
down there and it will be unsafe and I
will not support R DPW going down there
to clean that up so I'm going to make
that clear right now I won't support
them to go down there if they really
want to push for it and Jeff wants to
come up here and push for for that but I
think it's it's going to cost us more
money at some point it'll have to be
cleaned up at some point it's going to
be need to be cleaned up and I just and
you've said that many times my my
suggestion and it's not a direction and
I don't know if this is okay but you get
with your Advocate Wendy you're right
here organize this with Wendy people at
the the different sites clean up their
mess because it is their mess and if
there something that we could provide
bags or gloves or vests that would be
our contribution is
that okay sure it is okay so that's our
part we have done it and we we've done
but I'm saying it again because because
you're you you're really motivated to do
it but this has been done many
times so and this is again this is
beyond Litter with a poker this is this
is shovels and barrels and dumpsters so
just to make you aware so everybody gets
the big picture it's not you're going
out there and picking up cigarette butts
and you're picking up you know paper
wrappers this is this is a lot and I
think we would be but I'm sure Wendy
would be happy to organize that as as a
town
Advocate I think we would be naive as a
council to think that and I and and I
know Dave talked about kicking the can
down the road but wa wait before you say
that that's came from two of you that
said that all we do is go round and
around and around I only I didn't say
kicking the can came from you about
going back and forth a few meetings ago
and say here we go we're just kicking
the can down the road we're going to
talk about it and leave and we need to
and I'm G to say it again we're going to
be naive to think that we're going to
solve homelessness in the next eight
weeks in West War I just think that's I
think think that the advocate The
Advocates that we have in this community
that have been working
hard we it's not an easy job to and
they're out there they're they're very
uh thankless the job they do out there
and it's probably like banging their
head against the wall sometimes trying
to get things done out there so it is
very difficult what they're doing out
there and and I'm not saying that that
you guys don't know that I'm sure that
you do you've been long enough I made it
very clear last meeting there are people
who are working 40 hours a week at EB or
plus who cannot afford housing oh you're
right so it's we know it's a housing
cost issue there's nothing any of us can
up up here do to figure out how to lower
rents in west or any town in the state
because the the the cost of housing the
cost to build housing today you can't a
$10,000 Foundation 15 years ago was now
20,000 $25,000 for the same foundation
so the cost of housing itself is very
expensive so to create you know we have
given tax breaks to builders you know we
brought up lipet Mill he's looking it
hopefully next summer to have 21 units
affordable housing open and ready and
available we have as a council have
tried to do numerous things housing wise
whatever it may be we have Factory
Street Mill here it is sold out it's
sold out in record time like I couldn't
believe in less than six months they
were fully rented here in West FL and at
a decent rate you know $16 to $1,800 a
month was the going rent there all
rented no problems and if you're working
there or ever going there it's all young
individuals mostly Young individuals
that are trying to make ends meet and
trying to start their
lives again we have talked about this
over and over and over for past three
years here on this Council and then when
I said about kicking the can down the
road it's because we talk about it talk
about it we leave and don't ever discuss
it again that's why even last time when
we talked about December 2nd it put a
little fire under everybody to say okay
let's get moving and not forget about it
and not walk out because you know what
you might see five to 10 homeless people
helped and resolved and hopefully on a
pathway of getting them out of that
situation you know hey if somebody comes
up here and offer somebody a job and
that person gets that job in in six
months or now we hear everything's great
and guess what he's moving back to Texas
with his bride and and everything's
great for him that is wonderful we
succeeded if we just ignore it and let
it go and just let it keep populating
and populating guess what's going to
happen every community at is dealing
with it they're going to come out of
those communities and come to our
community so we do have to deal with our
situations here in West Wall we cannot
keep turning a blind eye at any given
time and again going back to the police
department I have seen our police
department at work I've seen them
working up at the Gazebo I see them get
out of their cars talk to the
individuals I see them get out work with
them harassing I don't see that happen
they might go up and and listen if
somebody's stealing somebody sneakers
and they're looking for somebody
sneakers and damn well going to be
looking for somebody sneakers some poor
kid who's working himself trying to get
his nice $200 sneakers get stolen I'd
want somebody to do their job too as
councilman lard said if you're not cre
committing the crime and you don't have
to worry about it but you're committing
crimes and you're doing things if I
stole somebody sneakers I'm not homeless
but if I did it I expect to be
investigated or if I have those sneakers
on I'm going to be asked why do I have
those sneakers on it that's that's the
common law we can't keep turning blind
eyes to people who are breaking the law
it's just not
fair I completely agree and and I just
uh I think what Kathy said is true that
yes we have to worry about westw we have
to keep westw residents safe we need to
push the state a little bit to help us
out because we can't do this on our own
and we can't you know we can talk about
this every at every meeting but without
some help from them um so I think we do
need to have conversations at the State
House level I I agree completely and
hopefully we're a small state we should
be able to figure out homelessness as a
state um and and Kathy it might be a
regional uh as you know a lot of times
it's not in my backyard is the answer so
um we need to we need to work as a a a
group uh to get it done and I'd be more
than happy to ask for a resolution that
we can approve as a council to send to
the state house to our representatives
and and and I'd be more than happy to
reach out to a couple of those
representatives and say I need your
support on this I will do the same
absolutely and I I think that there's a
there's a way that we can be cognizant
of the safety of the citizens that are
the voters and also be empathetic to
those that aren't voters because I feel
like sometimes people they go well
they're not voters who cares I I
represent people I I I I'm not saying
anybody in this Council but I definitely
from some of the comments I've heard
they're all they're all people and
whether they they're able to cast a vote
for you or not I don't think it should
make a difference no I don't think next
I don't think voters you've been patient
has much to do with it you know
obviously part of this equation and I
wasn't going to start with this but part
of this equation is the taxpayer right
it's the taxpayer what are we giving
them for Value in return for the money
that we request and require of them
every year but I want to get back to
what my original statement was going to
be and for those of you who've come up
here tonight to speak um I want you to
understand something from me I
appreciate it I understand both sides of
the
argument um I don't want you to think
that you're not heard I didn't hear one
invalid thing here tonight because there
is no right or wrong here right we can
want to help those unfortunate people
who don't have a place to live while yet
protecting the taxpayers and the
citizens and the families and children
of this community that's where the
difficulty lies because it seems like
when you're helping one you're harming
the other and I think we do need to come
up with a solution that helps all in
this in this terrible situation so I'm
not going to speak for anybody else but
what I will say is um if any if my
counterparts are up here are anything
like me this is not an issue that we
think about every other Tuesday for a
couple of hours I find this issue more
and more every day invading my thoughts
and I'm sure it's the same for everybody
that's up here you're at work you're
trying to concentrate on your job but
you're thinking what about this what if
we suggest that what if we take this
person's suggestion and work on that so
it is a problem that we we will continue
to work
on um I will reiterate at what the
council president said in setting the
date of December
2nd look what we have here tonight look
what we had last meeting we have
conversation we have people working
towards a common goal and I'd like to
thank everybody for keeping it civil
because that's the only way we're going
to get out of this because we can start
slinging insults and
that's not going to help anybody so
really that's all I wanted to say we're
obviously not done here this isn't going
to just you know we're not going to
adjourn and then this is solved it's not
we have a lot of work in front of us I
think everybody up here is ready to take
on that workload and do whatever we need
to do and we're not perfect we're going
to make mistakes it's going to be trial
and error right but
again something has to to happen action
needs to be taken otherwise we are just
kicking the can down the road and we
don't want to do that and I I like
councilman lard suggestion of each of us
taking this back which we do all the
time take this back reflect upon it and
then provide our thoughts to either the
manager or the solicitor and um we turn
up with for lack of a better term a
better product and that's the goal here
and that's what I suggest we do
and I just want to point out instead
personally if you have any if we're
taking this back
tonight that your suggestions go right
to the town manager okay and then he can
talk to the group that met last week I
know you were on vacation um when most
of that meeting happened but if you can
discuss that and get it back with the
attorney you know then you can work on
different things um I don't know you
know like you said two weeks might be
tough but I mean but it should be on the
agenda just just to keep it going yes
well again I don't want it on the agenda
every time just to draw a crowd in in
the news media either you know um but if
if we're getting nowhere or no
suggestions or whatever and or they put
something together we do have to discuss
it as a whole in public you know so
again I would send those suggestions
over directly to the town manager if
take this back to so I move the
ordinance I would like to amend that
motion and actually suggest that we
table it for this evening I'll second
that I have a motion to table seconded
that means there's no more public
comment all in favor I I I opposed eyes
have it if you have any comment you can
bring it up at public comment thank
you business licenses request from
Unforgettable events party hall for an
amplifier loud speaker and Theatrical
performance shows an exhibition's
license for premises located at 1745
Main Street Unit
5 motion move move the license second
moov second hi good evening welcome back
Hi how are you hold on one second kids
good night and thank you for attending
tonight thank
you sorry you had to sit through that
for this part
know very intense well you did say last
time you were here you wanted to learn
more about what goes on so yes welcome
aboard very very
intense um so I I don't know where he's
at um so I had sat down with
Sor um so I had sat down um with the
Fire Marshall and uh guys that work at
the fire department and um also sat down
with the uh the building inspector and
they had put a few more things on my
list and I got those things done um I
took my crowd management class on the
26th and passed um and now they're
saying that I need a second bathroom
added to my
hul I brought a list of HS that's in
Rhode Island all all over Rhode Island
Pucket Cranston Warick Lincoln that is
just like my facility and they only have
one bathroom and they are up and
operating
so I really don't know what's going on
like I'm just just trying to open back
up my business this is about to be the
second month of me
not having my business open and I'm
stuck with paying rent and I'm not
making no money I'm
just this is
just really really
really bad for did they explain the
issue with the bathroom did they tell
you that it was a certain number of
units within a bathroom for a certain
number of capacity yes they did and so
they said it's over 50 people you have
to have two bathrooms and that's why I
got the list of the other Halls that has
been approved and they're up and running
on their business their capacity is over
50 and they only have one bathroom and
if you don't mind me asking what is your
bathroom situation now within each
bathroom is there like a single stall um
it's a single stall it's a toilet and um
the sign on it it's unisex male or
female okay I've had no problem with the
bathrooms the events that I throw is
very in it's intimate there's no
strangers so we're not going to have
people fighting over oh I got to go to
the bathroom one single bathroom for the
entire bathroom yes one single bathroom
and I mean that's how I've been doing it
for the past couple months and never had
an issue with one bathroom and these
other Halls that have been approved in
up and running they never had an issue
either and I mean they they they're up
and running like their business is going
so remind me once again what your
capacity is my at first when I first um
when they first came they said it was
going to be 118 but I they gave me some
things to do
and then after the incident happened
with the cops coming they put it down to
114 and so it's 14
now okay
um who is
require Bob asone can you come on up for
a second can you explain the bathroom
thing are good how are you um we did
have a convers a conversation um to ago
yeah um I explained to her how it works
um and I
also
um hold on please call a State Building
official for a opinion on my
call which you
know that's always available and I I
always give that people a do with I'm
not perfect but unfortunately the
codee's the code uh 29021
is the chart for um Plumbing fixture
needs uh she's an
assembly um there's two things in
assembly um I can call you banquet hall
or restaurant whatever it is it's really
kind of vague because there is nothing
for what she is but it's definitely an
assembly I use the less stringent count
to give her less bathrooms but there's
nowhere in the code that say say an
assembly can have just one bathroom if
it's over 50 people the minimum is one
in one plus a service sync and a
drinking fountain that's what's required
in my building code
um if other towns aren't doing their job
Pro uh properly I'm not going to do that
I'm only going by the code uh there's
there's no gray area in my code I did
call the state myself to get
clarification and they agree with me I
did call W and talk to the building
official and he agreed with me he said
he didn't know that happened I don't
know what to
do did you post did you call State I I
did I did call the state twice I left
the message they called me back I spoke
with uh the secretary or whoever I don't
know who who the lady is that I spoke to
but they took all the information down
they said they're going to relay it to
the commissioner but I still have not
got any phone calls from him or her I
don't know if it's a male or female um
so I I've just been literally
just waiting and I I just I don't know I
get what he's saying that's in his book
and you know he has to go by his
book but and like I stated in the
meeting that we had um upstairs they
even looked up the hall that I mentioned
that's in work that for the building
inspector that they spoke to they see
pictures and they say yeah it's it's one
bathroom and like I said there's nine I
have nine Halls throughout Rhode Island
that only has one bathroom my hall is
literally just a rectangle there's no
corners there's nothing to turn as soon
as you walk in you can see the back door
it's nothing major it's only 1,800
square feet to be exact so I mean the
bathroom is literally the only thing
that is holding me I I I spoke to a
plumber um to see you know if if if it's
possible for me to build another one
they want 8,000 or
more I'm already 10,000 in of having to
pay two months of rent that I'm not even
operating my business my bills my
storage and I have seven kids I can't do
it no more I have I'm I put so much hard
work into this place I renovated with my
kids I I didn't hire any we renovated I
did the
floors chandeliers the place is
beautiful and I all this money spent and
now it's
and if I could bring this up when I
first got my business
there when they first came in it was no
problem with the one bathroom but after
this incident now the second bathroom is
being brought up they they're saying
that they didn't know that my place was
going to be a party hall who was that
the um the Fire Marshals and and him
right there um sorry Bob
so when they first came I sat down with
them so in the name of my place is
Unforgettable events party hall it's on
the door it's on the sign like
it's I I took a ride I did take a ride
by after the last meeting I just wanted
to see where it was in that building
yeah and I think I was on the phone with
the solicitor at the time and I said let
say Unforgettable events party hall I
had all my T I had all my I don't know
if it was that's
my door the door was always there the
sign on the door was always
there yeah I I you don't know how bad I
want to give you this license but
there's always a butt right there are
things that have to be done now the
question to you Bob is you're saying a
minimum is one male one female bathroom
regardless of capacity who you want to
sex it could be right or two unisex two
two bathrooms two bathrooms over that's
minimum over 50 over 50 is cons
so um what if what if you
kept your events to 50 and under until
you could do something with that
bathroom situation I mean if that's the
option because I I I have to because I
want you to start making money you need
to start making I'm bleeding so who is
going to police that and I'm not saying
the same person that would police any
capacity right I mean well problem is um
this is this is my confusion I'm sorry
Bob but this is this is one of my
confusions with fire marshal building
official so on and so forth I'm dealing
I've dealt with this at 52 Prov stre I
think it's 52 53 Providence Street where
we have a capacity of 150 with a parking
lot of 15
cars so I asked the question how do you
give that 150 capacity based upon a
parking spot of 15 cars and and so the
same thing I have here is so the Fire
Marshall goes into the building and
says you have a capacity of 114
people how does you're now authorizing
her to have 114 people and the building
official says well the rule of 100 over
50 is two bathrooms so at that point and
I don't know the laws and I don't know
the Fire Marshall rules I'm I never went
to school for it but when a fire
marshall walks into the building and
says there one bathroom should they know
there should not be over 50 people in
there or that's not the that's not the
that's what I'm asking I don't know
that's not the fight and um with the
parking there's also a chart in my book
what business and what uh parking spots
required handicap or um Regular um my
suggestion like ask her to call the
state if they give her a relief on that
for some reason I have no problem with
it but but you're not going to do it and
I understand that I can't do it I
understand that so she can appeal to the
state absolutely I
mean I want her to make money I told
that last time I would love her to make
money I want to make much money she can
but in terms of Licensing is there
anything we can do
to until all the requirements are met um
cap that capacity at 50
no
OCC you're
not we can't we can't have the capacity
to be lower with the one you're not
allowed to do no it goes by square
footage the square footage of the
building so if so if an individual a
business owner requests that they want
their capacity to be no more than 50
they they don't have that right not by
Cod un
do cut bill in half no you know I'm just
trying to think outside the box here but
sometimes you see these these baseball
and football stadiums and they just put
TPS over certain number of
seats and I I don't know why they do
that other than to make it look better
but the fact that they're not selling
out but is that something that she could
do because she puts up a tar not a tar
but per right that square footage cannot
be used by people either standing up or
sitting up so it couldn't be a
divider you get 1800 square feet yeah so
in order to reduce
her occupany down to 50 you'd have to do
the math out and say okay what what
would that square footage be I know
that's a hard
half probably less than half right yeah
maybe 800 square feet something like
that
yeah just put up right know ass no no
which using that as which might cost the
$8,000 that she needs to put the
bathroom in
so and I know nobody GNA be a fan of me
saying this but we always anyway yeah we
always we always um approve these
licenses contingent to police fire and
whatever so that was so if she can get
relief from the state she don't have to
wait two more weeks for us you know so
um what is she gonna SE for one bathroom
the reduction ofy along with that that's
up to her but if she really I think her
first road is she wants to seek relief
to one bathroom and keep the capacity
where it is but secondly if that does
doesn't pan out then she would probably
have to seek relief to reduce her
occupancy as long as the building
official keeps uh the manager in the
loop as to what's going on and also uh
fire if necessary I don't think that's a
problem but I have no idea how long it
seems like it seems like she's up today
all the fire no this particular issue I
don't know how long the state will take
Bob you might have an idea I have no
idea want to make a promise that no no
here's my isue ability put three to six
months to get some respon state is my
issue with that we we just this is no
offense we we just sat here for a couple
hours and then last meeting was three
and a half hours going over behavior and
what's what's accountable and all that
and not saying that anything you're
doing is is wrong you want to do
anything wrong but we're going back and
forth talking about police enforcement
and enforcement that's what it is and
how people are doing things the wrong
way out in public and and that learns to
that turns to criminal behavior and and
behavior that you going against
ordinances I can't sit here and go
against an or code of ordinances
building code building yeah I mean I I
just I can't do that and say it's okay
for you that's pretty hypocrit that's
hypocritical of me and I think that's
why I said and I I can't with police
fire and building
approvals and if you can't approve it I
I'm not gonna ask you to break the code
because that's what would be doing if
that was allow tonight I I think what's
going to happen is you're going to
approve it additionally upon her getting
everything in order at the Town level
and everything in order at the state
level because the building official is
not going to give her any type of Co
until he gets that information that's
not gonna happen two weeks no no no I'm
not say I don't know how long it's going
to take but I think what the uh
president's proposing is that you
granted conditionally and then the
building official will let you know if
it's been or met compliance if it hasn't
met compliance he's not going to issue a
CO for her to reopen just about every
one of our licenses we approve they all
they all are we're approving it we don't
know whether Bob or or the fire
department's gonna find something wrong
we're approving it and then but we know
there's something wrong and it's coming
before us it's not like there's a liquor
license and somebody has to do this to
get a liquor license and it comes you
before actually do you have a liquor
license no I'm not no alcohol yeah using
that as an example you know that's
something we're in control of if if I
may has the certificate of occup been
revoked no all right so in order to not
allow her to be open to have these types
of events you'd have to revoke that no
there's a CO on the whole building given
at time of
um when it's built there's only one Co
given this would be an approval for the
business but you'd have control over
that approval and you could withhold the
approval until you get notification from
the state that she's in compliance where
where does the landlord stand in all
this um he I I I called him and I have a
threeyear lease with them that I signed
um so he said if I have to build the
second bathroom that I could do so he
doesn't have a problem with us doing
thatp net Le you're responsible pay for
it like I just want to ask so and I know
the landar but you're you're in a
building yes that you're going to spend
a lot of money into put a lot of money
into and in three years your lease is up
yes but but it's it's it's up with like
if if I want to keep it I
can so it's not up and then it's fin so
I can renew it yes I can renew it if I
if I I choose to one more thing I'd like
to bring up um cently there's um I have
three applications in front of me for
the same exact thing that she's doing
and it's it's not her all of a sudden I
got busy with this I don't know what's
going on that's not that's not for you
yeah I know
okay again I'm I'm trying to think
outside the box and I don't even like
what I'm thinking right now about this
suggestion
but what if there
was uh a portable a porta potty outside
in the back out the back door not
allowed by Cod okay again I don't know
these things that's why I'm asking I
asked that too I'm just
trying okay all right
Chief do you want to say
something there and whatnot you know
just the CO detector you did get the CR
you have to present that okay the delay
we're all set with but I also um notice
the next thing on the
agenda is um for Holy Ghost for an so
how is it that they have to come like
each time and you go and we're here
looking at doing something that just
continuous so is there a distinction s
or should there be any sort of every
license that goes before the council we
have to get sign offs from each of those
departments their amplify a loud speaker
is outside too for this event not
inside because they have it the actual
they have a license for inside they do
have a license so they have a they have
a license for inside when the Holy Ghost
has an event outside this is a trunk or
treat so they need to come anything
outside they need to come before
us but every every license and
registration has to get signed off from
every department so it's not just
everyone's treating the same
side if she does so here's what I have
to say if she does happen to get the
appeal through the state and the state
overrides Bob which in times it does
happen we know that if the state
overrides Bob then she don't have to
worry about coming back before us she
has to still get the approval and the
sign off because once they override you
you still have to sign off on it with
their override correct right correct
um yeah so the what you think I mean you
you got something no
um it's been two weeks and I don't
understand why the state hasn't gotten
back up with her and hey Bob I've been
dealing with a no turn on right sign
down on Fair View have poor residents
been emailing emailing I had to get a
State Rep involved it was over two
months before he got a response and once
the State Rep got involved got a
response the next day so I I I don't
disbelieve that the state's not
responsive I don't either I don't either
um um doesn't make me happy because this
is what happened puts it on you you know
I like a bad guy um I would look if she
went to the right to the door and of
that the state on Jeff uh just Boulevard
you know walk in there they're not going
to deny you yeah you know what I'm
saying um you can talk to anybody in
there should have the cl to get you to
the right person and let them
know um the situation you're in um you
know I've done what I've done what I
could I've called a state to see what
you
know not to see to give it a v that's
not for me but yep to make sure I'm on
the
right the right way about it
all right I have a motion in a second
any other discussion on this and I think
this gent yeah it's not well it's it's
comment on the license yep so just come
on up to the mic state your name and
address for the record my name is
Michael kelica the address is 1755 Main
Street and that is the ab buding
property we um AB buding property to the
1745 address um you know you've got um
State Fire code or building code that
says if you have this much square feet
you need to have the following things
and that's that's from the state and I'm
pretty surprised that the Town Council
was thinking that we can just go in
there and tweak those numbers and in the
town of West Warwick so we're not not so
you're saying that she needs to get the
state to change that and that'll be fine
with you so everybody's legal right no
matter what fire inspection or building
official if they don't like the town's
answer they have have the right to
appeal to the state boorn that's what
I'm thinking so she has that right to
appeal so our our building official is
denying her application based upon one
bath right she has the right to go to
the state and appeal that decision they
can overturn that decision or they can
live by that decision right now the
state doesn't supersede the town right
so that's going to come from the state
not from the council corre that's what I
want to clarify okay um first I would
like to start by um addressing some
papers here I made copies for all the
council members and also for the council
list just what's your step coming up we
took the watch your step sign down right
thank you CP it just matches when you
look at it so thank
you it's it's an illusion
yeah so Miss K Miss h
um this first paper I'm showing right
here you recognize this is coming from
your Facebook page right yes okay I
printed this on Sunday um it says that
was six days ago that you made this post
that's at the top of the page right yeah
and that was about someone about someone
who uh wasn't going to be able to have
their event at your place right yes and
I had to give money back right and um
and you weren't very happy with the way
the Tom was treating you you said this
ain't right what ain't right did and I'm
I'm so glad you're on my page but you
got it wrong that statement was for the
girl yes this is not a hearing Mike so
you're not really allowed to ask your
questions you can make you can make
statements to the council but you really
you really aren't in a position to ask
her the questions okay um so can I can I
answer no just slide over so we can
speak apparently you're going to listen
to me so I would suggest that the
council can infer that this business
which is trying to open up here doesn't
agree with the policies and procedures
that you're requiring it to um comply
with the second page uh council members
is from the rhod Island Secretary of
State's website for unforgettable events
party hall LLC and as you can see about
four lines down this LLC was revoked by
the Secretary of State on September 17
2024 so as a result of that revocation I
think your solicitor will advise you it
is not allowed to conduct any business
in the state of Rhode Island I don't
think it's allowed to apply for any
licenses I don't think it's allowed to
receive any
licenses um the third thing I would like
to address is the name of the registered
agent which is Tannis Hall 148 Atwood
Avenue I've checked 148 Atwood Avenue in
Cranston that is a UPS store it is a
mail drop it's a post office box I would
um and
in to the Secretary of State's website
on the last page of what I've delivered
to you the registered agent is not
allowed to have a post office box or a
mail delivery type company a postal
company as a registered office that does
not comply with the secretary estate's
requirements and it states that um that
the registered agent must be on the
premises during normal business hours so
in an awful lot of ways M Hall has not
complied with what businesses are
expected to do they're expected to
follow the rules and regulations of the
Rhode Island Secretary of State and
they're not that hard to do and before
the LLC was revoked in June she received
a letter that was sent to 148 at w
Avenue telling her that if she didn't
file her annual report and of course
along with that pay the taxes owed to
the state U Division of Taxation that
she was going to be revoked and she had
at least 60 days notice of that and she
fa to do that um this this is a business
that while I'm sympathetic to her plate
that she signed a long-term lease the
fact of the matter is that she leased a
retail store and now wants to take that
round hole and squeeze this square peg
through it this building was never
designed built or intended to be a party
hall it was designed to be a ret store
which is why you have the one bathroom
in there it was not expected that it was
going to have 114 people in there was
expected to be full of shelves and
merchandise and relatively quiet people
if I were on this Council I would want
to know from this Hall who is going to
provide the security when these events
are taking place because in order to do
this properly an event Hall like this
you need to have doorway security so
that you can control the number of
people coming in so that you don't
exceed the capacity you need to have
someone searching those people to see
whether they're bringing alcohol drugs
or weapons or something of that nature
it's at event halls you're going to be
asked to give a license a theatrical and
um Amplified music type license um she
could have live bands in there she can
have um any kind of party once you issue
that license and there's not much that
can be done about it so total strangers
can be coming in there and intermingling
you need to make sure that it's safe for
all the people inside there the people
that are coming through so they need to
be searched they need to be checked to
see whether they're coming in
intoxicated or high on drugs number two
she needs somebody inside to keep an eye
on what's going on among the patrons
that are already in for security reasons
to make sure there's no stealing of
pocketbooks cell phones drug dealing
smoking in the corner or things of that
nature number three although she's not
going to have alcohol on the premises
inside the premises I would like to know
if I was on This Town Council what she
plans to do to prevent people that are
patrons of her event from leaving the
premises and walking over to the parking
their car in the parking lot and having
a drink there or smoke a little bit of
pot over there and then come back into
the premises or walk to the very
conveniently located liquor store and
pick up some liquor there and is she
going to have that kind of thing where
oh there's no alcohol in our premises it
all takes place right over there which I
would want to know if that's the case if
um My Town council's Police Department
might have to be the one enforcing
what's going on the parking lot
traditionally places that feature these
kind of live uh events where people come
there they may be dancing they may be uh
live bands or whatever um you've got
you've got um you've got situations that
occur in the par parking lots different
people you know different people that
don't necessarily know each other I know
she says everybody's going to know
themselves but once you grant the
license how do you stop that so as far
as I'm concerned um the last thing is
the sound the noise this has been
operating unlicensed as you're aware
and the adjoining property and I think
there are other people here tonight to
testify to this will tell you you that
the noise is leaving that building it's
coming over to 1755 Main Street it's
coming to the next property 1759 Main
Street it's going down the river she
doesn't have enough control over the
noise if I were on the Town Council I
would want this place soundproof so that
the noise inside stays inside and that's
if the noise is in the parking lot
somebody controls what's going on if
they have cars with radios or um fights
or whatever it is um that that somebody
from inside can go out there and say
quiet it down or we're going to call the
police those are my points it's really
too loud the way it is right now she
sound proofs it and the sound stays
inside the four walls and the parking
lots quiet that cures a lot of my
concerns thank
you I can I ask a question sure all
right I don't know if we're talking
about the same venue um
so forgive me if I I apologize if I'm if
I'm wrong you're located in um New
London Square correct yes uh 1745 main
streeto all right so I'm in the right
spot I driven by it myself that's that
is my award yes
um I don't live right next store but I
don't share some of the same concerns
that you have only because you're
applying and want to just correct it um
owners's resident according to the
paperwork we have is 158 Washington Road
in barington correct yes that's where
you live yes okay so right spot forag
yes um what you're applying for like we
talked last time was an assembly for
baby showers birthday parties
um I don't
see I mean I'm I'm expecting some that's
what I'm expecting because that's what
you're applying for
um um if things get out of hand or so I
mean we're in a big parking lot where
there's a lot of other businesses so you
know obviously people can congregate in
the parking lot I mean you see it all
the time people leave jael's kitchen
they hang out for a little bit and talk
um that's not really a concern of mine
it it's more
of we had an issue last time yes I don't
want to talk it to death obviously we
that can't happen ever again yes and can
I speak on that because uh when I when I
met with the Fire Marshall and the um
the building uh
inspector I said I will no longer have
sweet 16s at my hall because I noticed
that was the problem and I don't want to
repeat that problem so I I said I'll
keep it at kid kids parties and baby
showers cuz those are more subtle quiet
you know no problems and there is no
alcohol no alcohol and if somebody as a
parent yes over 21 wants to go to the
liquor store and buy alcohol and take it
put in the car and take it home that's
right but I don't I don't condone
drinking in the parking lot either and
also I I do I got my crowd management
class and I my um cousin she went and
got her crowd management class the same
day I did so she could be there on site
with the customers and I and if there is
an issue then on the spot that will be
taken up with the police depart yes
correct yes correct right correct I
believe you brought that up last night
you would have you would have un
unattended which like no because before
they was unattended so that's how this
incident happened but tonight though
what's on the agenda is is the lack of a
bathroom yes lack of a bathroom I really
don't want to get off I think we're off
task a little bit Yeah it I really think
that's our only I think that's my only
concern is is the bathroom situation it
that's my concern too so but you also I
feel like I feel like my character is
attacked because he he doesn't know he
doesn't know who I was speaking about I
was speaking about the young lady that I
gave the the free party to she has not
offered me $1 so when I yeah you're all
to talk trash on Facebook that's what
it's for that was nothing about hang on
this has nothing nothing to do with us
we're talking about the restroom and if
there is an issue all you know and I
understand your point too I know exactly
what you're talking about sound does
carry and and please just be cognizant
of of loud music and you know if you're
doing kids parties there should be no
profanity or anything you know and just
be a good neighbor yes and if not that
would that's when it becomes an issue I
feel like he's not even giv me a chance
well I mean I'm not going to speak for
anybody I'm just I just want a
clarification from Sarah when we look at
page two the data uh revocation
certificate um was
91724 when we when we still issue a
license you also have to be state
approved also to get your license from
us or no
so if
this revoke was
revoked what
is only the LLC has been revoked she's
not prohibited from doing business as
Unforgettable events party hall or any
other name she not she's not required to
have a corporate inent Identity or LLC
identity in order to do business in the
state of Rhode Island how do you get
insurance and so on and so forth well I
will take care of that cuz I didn't even
know that it was up but but I'll go take
care of that I don't I don't know how
she applied originally in the with the
town of West War I don't know if she
applied as an LLC or she didn't apply in
in
Providence it's it's from Unforgettable
events party hall right but no LLC on
that this this particular document
doesn't say LLC but we have no liability
based on these documents if the insur if
the insurance company will not insure
that's a different issue but normally an
insurance compan is not going to Ure you
just because you're not an LLC or an es
Corp or a corporation
but if you want to make that part
possible I mean that's a far
stretch you have a lot you have a lot of
businesses in the town of West war that
are not Incorporated that get business
licenses okay
um
again does anybody else want to speak on
this matter any other the public comment
on this
matter
gentl he doesn't want to see him to get
up
so just state your name and address for
the
record just if you want to say reiterate
no Nichol had a bonus I am the neighbor
that lives over at 1759 Main Street uh
the property next to um well two over uh
the noise is a little bit it was a
little bit you know I'm not going to say
obnoxious but it was rambun just late at
night on some of the parties with that
back door shut though it's a little bit
more reserved muffled where it was
manageable so our concern was just more
in terms of the back alley access
excessive noise with that door being
open if there was sound proofing and
then whether or not you know it would be
allowed access to what is in essence a
service Corridor for the
businesses um so I want to say that
might have been the part that there was
no one there to oversee it in which case
obviously if there's visibility on it
then it's a no point but that was just
you know few comments from not
understand the whole process and we've
heard we've heard that from other
establishments in the town especially if
their door is open the noise travels
whether it's soundproofed or not if that
door is open so that's something you
have to reiterate that the door should
not but I would add that with the door
shut it is night and day thank you thank
you all right no other public comment
hearing none all in favor I'm not and
that's only because of the bathroom I
like to get that straightened out first
move forward
so I think that puts Bob in a very tough
spot and I don't think that's fair to
him so I I would tend to agree that we
should again go to the state I hope you
can get everything taken care of stand
back here in two weeks and and be done
with it yeah that that's a uh yeah I I
kind of feel the same way I we can't ask
our town official to go against code I
don't think we're asking I think I think
but again no if you can come back and
you're fully in compliance yeah that's
that's all we're asking we we're you
know I know I came up with
some some suggestions and just
spitballing here but it it has to be
official and it has to be done right
okay Denise that's majority of the
counil Bob Bob you or Tim or somebody
needs to make it clear what the town
needs it's not simply a phone call that
says oh I got the state to say that's
that's that's up to the applicant to
take care of for appeal it's not what
not the I understand that but what what
does the town want from the state so
they that's what I Bob keep me honest
here she is going to the state to seek a
variance the state will write that
variance up if they give it to you or
decline your variance right and that's
what you have to prove to the to it'll
be sent to you and maybe take Bob's
advice you said if she went she went
directly to Jefferson Boulevard it may
speed the process up or if not reach out
to your local not the council but if you
reach your loc state representative they
might speed the process along as
well y okay thank you thank you thank
you so much have a good night you
too
goor that was all no no votes I just
want to make sure I got the vote right I
didn't vote but I know denied it so
there's no sense of
voting well maybe you should maybe maybe
not to
vote
Yes so I would I would actually table
this item I would I would make a motion
to table the
item the one that we just we didn't vote
on
this no we didn't there was official
vote
right Sarah is saying she didn't have a
vote
Happ y have a second to table second all
in favor I
I that was me
yeah request from the Portuguese Holy
Ghost for an amplifier loudspeaker
license for an event to be held October
25th 2024 at 11 ventor Street move the
license second move second any
discussion they have four bathrooms so I
know
that all favor I opposed eyes have
it appointments and resignations request
from Kimberly hustan for appointment to
the 250th commission move the
appointment second moveing second any
discussion Kimberly had toight no see
her here I don't know if you remember
Kimberly she had been before you a few
months ago sheing to get involved Y and
if you look at the what was posted on
the agenda with the agenda she's willing
to do anything really and she wants to
be involved so thank you for for
stepping up all in favor I I opposed
eyes have
it new business approval of the
collective bargaining agreement between
the town of West Lor local 245 Rhode
Island Council 94
HFS CME AFL CIO for fiscal years 2 2025
through 2027 move approval of the
collective bargaining agreement second
move in second any discussion
quickly on my memo to you all
um on or about July 20th 2021 the town
entered in a three-year Collective
bargain agreement with all three of our
labor unions covering fiscal years 22 23
and 24 those agreements expired on June
30th of
2024 the town Administration and the
negotiating team for the municipal Union
reached a tentative agreement or the
collective bargaining agreement for a
period of July 1 2024 to June 30th
2027 this agreement was ratified by the
membership of the municipal Union on
September 19th of this year and it is
Town Council approval is necessary I
supplied the fiscal impact statement um
prepared by our finance director Kristen
Bono um cliffnote version is just the
main points of interest is the salary
increase es would be a 3.5% salary
increase retroactive to July 1st of this
year and then 2% on July 1 of 2025
January 1st of 2026 July 1st of
2026 and January 1st of
2027 the fiscal impact of the the
temporary tenative agreement is
estimated to be slightly more than
241,000 for fiscal year 25
$1 18,7 188 approximately for fisc year
2026 and
86,87 for fiscal
27 a significant portion of the funding
for the
fy2 has been included in our improve
approved budget other monetary changes
include hourly adjustments to shift
differential and training differentials
addition of juneth as a recognized
holiday several pay scale adjustments
for position positions of DPW crew
persons Masons operators foremen police
dispatchers Town Hall maintenance
workers accreditation stien for
non-sworn staff within the police
department and savings to the town due
to increase of employees co-share for
Health
Care elimination of summer hours and
adjustments in clothing procurement and
allowance practices again this fiscal
impact Act was prepared as required by
state law by the finance director it is
my recommendation that the council
approve this tenative agreement with the
municipal Union I believe its approval
of the resolution is in the best fiscal
interest of the town and its citizens
and provides a sound agreement with
Provisions that enhance the town's
ability to more efficiently manage and
operate a modern public service
department and to attract and retain the
highest quality of employees for the
important services is provided to our
community does anybody have any
questions for Mo any comments
concerns hearing none all in favor I
opposed I have
it resolution to consider change order
number three for the ice Chiller System
project
202312 move the resolution
second I had mentioned this previously
as we were going through this process
that there was going to be a pending
change order this is a small one in the
amount of
$3,850 for the purchase and installation
of pipes and valves and Associated parts
to for the makeup water system of the
ice Chiller system at the ice rink it'll
be funded through the ice rink's fiscal
25 operating
budget any questions for Mark seems like
we get a lot of these we at the point
where this is just going to be done it's
done and operational it's what it's done
and
operational we just needed the funding
source
okay perfect so we shouldn't see anymore
so if I say no we have to go look in for
pennies some it's under warranty now so
yeah any other comment hearing none all
in favor opposed eyes have it school
building committee
update all right who wants to give the
update I'll just say quickly we we have
our meeting tomorrow at at 4 o'clock um
the school building committee where
we'll continue um reviewing options for
our stage two submission again we're
still exploring options nothing's been
ruled out um we have a community
outreach scheduled for October 23rd at 6
o'clock at the high school in which I
believe that'll probably be the first
opportunity for options to be publicly
reviewed Feld um so I think we're
hopeful to have vetted them um within
our smaller committee and have them out
to the public that night on October 23rd
I know we had the first community
outreach on September 18th I was at
another event and could have attend so I
defer to one of you that was able to be
there um it was led by tekon and left
field the the two Consultants that um
and they were very pleased with the
turnout there were probably 20 25 people
there um they said certainly on a
preliminary one that they wouldn't
expect anybody really to be there it
lasted an hour there were some good
questions and good uh thoughts as to
what people might like to see and we
encouraged everyone and encourage still
encourage everyone to come out on the
23rd is that right of October same thing
uh High School
auditorium and that content's expected
to be a bit more exciting
correct kind of exciting last time it
was some excitement you're right it was
fun any questions for the town manager
us thank
you upcoming appointments the are use
Sport review appointment to fill a
vacancy as an alternate member for a
three-year term SE use foral review
appointment to fill a vacancy as a
regular member for a three-year term tax
assessment foral review appointment to
fill a vacancy for a three-year term
School building committee tree Warden
Recreation committee appointment to fill
a vacancy for a threee term westw 250th
commission and pit River Authority
appointment to fill a vacancy for an
unexpired term ending June 2026 public
forum any public
comment none motion to adjourn second
all in favor I
I uh we said public comment I said none
oh come on if you feel like
rejourn come on up
right just state your name and address
for the record Chris bue 44 rat
Lane um Colonel not Mr Williamson Town
Council folks Madam
Rose uh concern has come to my attention
in regard to the amount of new
construction occurring throughout our
town another concern is the number of
complaints regarding flooding and lack
of run off throughout our parts of the
town as well I think it's worthy of
consideration that both are related in
my neighborhood there's been a lot of
new real estate development along East
grage Avenue and what triggered my
desire to make this concern public is in
regard to the property at the east
corner of Green Bush Road and East Gage
Avenue in the recent past the V house uh
was sold to new owners and they
subdivided the land It's Not Unusual
these days when you are purchasing a
large lot however personally would
prefer not to see it uh but it's there
they can do what they want however my
concern is not with the property owners
or developers but actually what the
zoning ordinance allowed them to do I
was expecting to see just one new home
on the lot but instead there are now
three uh it's a notable amount of
development what is actually a pretty
small lot it's also relatively in
congruous to the more typical Lots along
that road it was also a nice tree buffer
um dividing the plat and now you can see
the plat in all its Glory
um that particular Corner does
accumulate a lot of water during
rainstorms and snow melts and there was
actually a part of the original property
that allowed excess water to run off the
road accumulate and slowly leech over
over a relatively short period of time I
believe that leeching area no longer
exists another thing I observed in the
past is that whenever there is any type
of comparative analysis regarding major
major Redevelopment or envisioning of
our town the comparisons are not with
other can County municipalities but
instead Central Falls in Pucket I think
this is highly erroneous and needs to be
rejected the only thing our town has in
common with those municipalities is that
they are mil towns with some element of
a river running through them plus they
are already highly urbanized very much
unlike West War which still is and
should continue to be referred to as
suburban I've been observing past Town
Council meetings on YouTube and I recall
past citizens regarding flash flooding
flooding of basements in specific areas
at times where it hasn't occurred before
I also recall a sinkhole or two in the
past one notable one in the Deerfield
Hills area of w five several years ago
and another product which is another
product of w runoff concerns plus more
recently uh Road collapsed between
Manchester Street and tyoch Avenue it
was also evidence of gr settling in the
Quaker Estates area a few years ago and
more recently a small pond that forms at
Jen's consignment on Kisa Avenue after a
rainstorm been resolved pardon me that's
been resolved the pond in front of Vin
they put a drain in there the state when
they put kis progress has been made uh
most recently there was a partial
collapse and reconstruction of the
bridge over hackinson Brook on Green
Bush Road our future situation may be
further compounded where I recently
learned of a buildup of silt and other
debris in the pet river near the malls
there may be another 100-year flood
Crisis coming much sooner than
anticipated I think if we combine these
events in one common situation we may
have as town a potentially dangerous
fiscal nightmare requiring once again
the Charities of state and federal aid
to help handle the crisis in the near
future so I have a couple of ideas to
share first I would recommend a
comprehensive in-house review and also
if this is already in play then I
apologize for the redundancy uh I would
recommend a comprehensive in-house
review of our current zoning ordinances
including a comparative analysis with
our neighboring towns in that analysis I
would recommend more restrictions on
development and an outright ban on
subdivisions with Le that are less than
half an acre I would also recommend an
expansion of wetlands and easements and
green buffers from fiscal 2025 onward
secondly I would also recommend a much
more severe much more severe impact fees
on future new development especially
near streams Brooks and ponds as well as
wetlands and tax incentives for
contractors to redevelop existing lots
that have already been developed as well
as distressed and abandoned lots thirdly
a general memoral to all field Municipal
uh workers including police fire and
sanitation to report on any and all
evidences of erosion partial collapse or
unusual settlement of Roads easements
embankments and recently undetected or
report or unreported seepage or or
runoff on roads and properties so it can
be addressed and repaired before it
erupts into something major I think
these concerns that I'm sharing a
rational and reasonable and worthy of
advisement and consideration sooner than
later if we examine this now and not
push the concern into the future we may
save ourselves from another major
crisis Woods
are better to look at than houses that's
thank you would you be willing to share
that I see all of us writing feverishly
um perhaps no perhaps I'll email you the
document Sarah thank you thank you very
much
you any other public comment last call
want
motion to adjourn
again all in favor I I opposed