Governor Dan McKee meets with Town Council President Paul M. Rodrigues and Councilman Dennis Turano and then drops in at the Middletown Senior Center to extend Valentine's Day wishes Tuesday. #MiddletownRI
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CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
McKEE, MIDDLETOWN OFFICIALS MEET
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (FEBRUARY 14, 2023) – Governor Dan McKee stopped by the Middletown Senior Center Tuesday to extend Valentine’s Day good wishes.
Wearing his customary smile, McKee shook hands, posed for pictures and talked about a number of initiatives he’s pursuing upstate to help seniors and their families.
Earlier in the day, Town Council President Paul M. Rodrigues and Councilman Dennis Turano met McKee over French toast at a local resident’s home. There, they discussed the need for more affordable housing, the new Middletown Outreach Department and the middle-high school project on a May 2 special election ballot.
And while no firm commitments were made by the governor, Rodrigues and Turano said it was awesome to have an audience with McKee.
“He told us to keep doing what we’re doing and that there’s money available for affordable housing and the Outreach Department,” Rodrigues said. “It was a great conversation and the governor is an everyday person who started right where we are. It helps him relate to us and what we’re trying to do.”
“I was really impressed,” Turano added. “He knows a lot about Middletown and said he uses our Outreach Department as a model when goes around the state. He told us we might be the only community in Rhode Island with something like it, if not the country. That was pretty unbelievable when I heard it and shows we’re on the right path.”
Walking into the facility at 650 Green End Ave. about noon, McKee was greeted with warm applause and shouts of support. Senior center clients were on hand for a home baked ham lunch with sides as Senior Center Director Arleen Kaull introduced McKee and thanked him for dropping by.
Addressing the crowd, McKee told a story about how he and his wife Susan were in the nation’s capitol last week for a governors’ function with President Joe Biden. To his surprise, Biden brought Susan up to the stage and was singing her “Happy Birthday,” drawing laughter and more applause.
Then, McKee worked the room, stopping to chat with everyone, speaking about the importance of the senior population to the Ocean State.
He mentioned his love for the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge at the end of Sachuest Point Road, a place he and Susan stop frequently to get outside and away from the rush of everyday life.
Several people asked about his mother Helen Willa McKee, who was immortalized for her feistiness and spirit in McKee’s campaign ads.
“I just had a great meeting with Paul and Dennis from the Town Council about things that are important to seniors and about education,” McKee said. “Thank you so much.”
Rodrigues and Turano said they couldn’t help but be inspired and impressed by McKee, his energy and enthusiasm for Middletown — and Rhode Island.
“It was a really good conversation,” Rodrigues said. “He’s someone who gets it and he said he’s here to help. I believe him when when he says that.”
“I know we want to work with him more to make things happen in Middletown,” Turano said. “The funding that’s available for the Outreach Department, I know Middletown is first in line and we’re going to be working hard on that initiative and others to make our town an even better place.”
Document Link: https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/7635/NYCU-McKee
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