The #MiddletownRI Town Council expressed thanks to a longtime resident who passed away earlier, considered a proposal to restore partisan local elections and other matters of interest Monday night.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
MIDDLETOWN MEETING MATTERS
MIDDLETOWN TOWN COUNCIL
When: Monday, March 18
Where: Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road.
Absent: Peter Connerton, Dennis Turano.
Of note:
- Held a moment of silence for the passing of longtime Middletown resident Lawrence Kestler, a former Rhode Island State Trooper and member of the town’s Personnel Board. Council President Paul M. Rodrigues said Kestler — whose son Matt is the head coach of the state champion Middletown High football team — was a well-known, well-liked advocate for Middletown and a true loss for the community.
- Considered a proposal from Democratic Town Committee Chairperson Vanessa Ellermann to make Middletown Town Council elections partisan again. A number of former council Presidents and council members in the audience argued the non-partisan “experiment” enacted in November 2014 has not generated more interest and involvement in running for office as hoped. Instead, Ellermann and others suggested it was time to put the item to voters for consideration at the Nov. 5 election, something the current council said would be the subject of a future public hearing.
- Received an update from Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown about the status of the new middle-high school project, which he said continued to make solid progress and everything was “on time and on budget.”
- Postponed talk of updating the seasonal fees for parking at Second and Third beaches until the budget discussion kicks off in earnest in coming weeks. A specific date for that item to be reconsidered was not set Monday.
- Approved a special event permit from Middletown Cub Scout Pack 77 for a freecycle free yard sale drop off and shop on April 20 from 7 am-noon from the Pottsy Field parking lot just south of the Middletown Public Library.
Next meeting: Monday, April 1, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in Town Hall.
Document Link: https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/11891/MMM-31824