February 24 - Regular Meeting (agenda)

PRESENTATIONS FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, PLANNING BOARD

Councilor LaPietra has longstanding beef with Chamber of Commerce president Lisa Konicki (yes, I'm citing a letter to the editor from none other than former councilor Robert Lombardo, but a broken clock and all that), so I knew things were gonna get petty. And they did! The town owns the property at 1 Chamber Way, and the OCCC wants to construct a storage building. (Lisa Konicki came very prepared with a presentation, which clearly demonstrated their need for the additional space.) This would be complicated under normal circumstances, but because the building is directly across from the airport, the OCCC has to get the go-ahead from the FAA as well. I guess Councilor LaPietra is now mad because they went to the state first for approval before they went to the town, despite the town owning the property? But he would find something to complain about no matter what, purely based on personal grievance. Girl, it's exhausting!

(Councilor LaPietra also complained about businesses still having their holiday stars up in their windows, comparing downtown Westerly to a trailer park he saw in South Carolina once - a very cool and normal thing to say. Town Manager Lacey replied that the stars are scheduled to come down at the end of February, a mere four days hence.)

Chairman Matthew O'Neil also gave the council an update about what the Planning Board is up to, including the Route One Corridor and Westerly Marina studies. Upon questioning from the council, he expressed some minor skepticism for the need for a permanent housing committee (mainly because that committee wouldn't be empowered to actually do that much without the Planning Board and Town Council anyway), but welcomed another ad hoc committee in support of housing... just like the one the previous town council disbanded last October. GIRL, IT'S EXHAUSTING!

Later on, the council did vote to advance the matter of the permanent housing committee to a public hearing on March 17, and it's probably gonna be a zesty one.

EVERETT AVENUE RIGHT OF WAY LITIGATION

The council was scheduled to go into executive session regarding litigation on - you guessed it - more right of way and coastal access disputes, this time for Everett Avenue in Watch Hill. Councilor LaPietra pushed the Town Solicitor to share what he could in the open forum instead of in an executive session, the motion for which passed.

It ended up being pretty interesting: it sounds like the bulk of the evidence supports Everett Avenue was, indeed, designated a public right of way based on a public hearing held by the CRMC in 1980. There was some confusion about a subsequent designation in the same year, but the process had never been completed, and public records support the previous and current designation as a right of way. There will be a public hearing on April 8 regarding the matter.

David Roth is the individual challenging the Everett Avenue right of way. His house in Watch Hill, worth almost $11 million, abuts the coastal access path.

February 25 - Budget Meeting (agenda)

Voted unanimously to bring the proposed budget before the town council.

February 26 - Special Meeting (agenda)

Executive session to discuss school employee job performance and identify contracts to not renew.

Resignation of Kristi Walston. :)