Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The Committee on Appropriations is proposing to the Financial Town Meeting a budget with a 1 percent hike; but voters also face a $633,000 school spending amendment.
Barrington’s annual Financial Town Meeting is Wednesday evening, May 22, and additional spending for full-day kindergarten seems to be the only thing standing in the way of a 1 percent tax hike. Next fiscal year’s proposed spending plan stands at approximately $63.55 million -- or about 1.1 percent higher than this year. It will be presented by Kathy Cadigan, chair of the Committee on Appropriations, in the high school auditorium at 7 pm. The proposed 2013-2014 budget also proposes floating up to $4 million for a bond to fix roads. That size bond would generate more than $300,000 in debt service for the municipal budget. The spending plan also proposes giving owners of older cars a slight tax break, which ia offset by a slight increase in …
Eva-Marie Mancuso, RI's new Board of Education chair, uses courtroom demeanor to try to convince angry teachers and nervous parents that change is necessary.
Eva-Marie Mancuso enjoys a lively debate, but she is clear about one thing: When it comes to educating Rhode Island’s children, the status quo is not an option. At a recent Q&A session in East Greenwich, the state’s new Board of Education chair, sparred with state Sen. James Sheehan (D-NK, Narr.) over teacher evaluations, cajoled teachers to work with the state, and tried to reassure at least one parent that using passage of a test as a graduation requirement is the right move. The forum, organized by the East Greenwich Democratic Town Committee, was held at EG’s Town Hall, the former Kent County Courthouse. The setting suited Mancuso, a personal injury lawyer. Although the new Board of Education for the first time combines all levels of …
Monday, May 20, 2013
Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly last week.
House passes bill for temporary disabled driver placards The House passed legislation (2013 H-5119Aaa) that would allow licensed Rhode Island physicians to issue temporary disabled driver placards to patients they consider qualified to apply for a permanent plate. Under current law, disabled drivers face a waiting period before receiving their full disability placard from the Division of Motor Vehicles. This keeps those most in need of disabled parking privileges from taking full advantage of them as soon as they need them, according to Rep. Jan P. Malik (D-Dist. 67, Barrington, Warren), the bill’s House sponsor. Under the bill, (2013 H-5119Aaa), any person applying for a permanent disability placard would be able to obtain a preliminary…
Thursday, May 16, 2013
If approved at the Financial Town Meeting, the amendment would bump up the tax rate by 23 cents or about $80 for a median-priced home in Barrington.
As anticipated, an amendment to add $633,000 to the proposed Barrington School Budget next year has been filed in the Town Clerk’s office. The amendment does not tie the request to a specific expenditure, but $633,000 is the estimate for adding full-day kindergarten in Barrington in September. The amendment was submitted by Amy Morton, of 289 Waseca Ave., on Tuesday, May 14. That’s one day in advance of last Wednesday’s deadline of five business days before the town meeting on May 22. The amendment is dated May 14. If approved at the town meeting, the additional cash would add 23 cents to the tax rate, said Dean Huff, Barrington’s finance director, making the new rate $18.43 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. For a home assessed at $350,…
The Barrington Town Council interviewed attorneys Francis Connor and Dean Robinson to fill the new post; one of them will be appointed at the June 3 council meeting.
Two finalists for Barrington’s first Municipal Court judge were interviewed by the Town Council this week – one is expected to be named to the position on June 3. Francis “Frank” Connor and Dean Robinson, attorneys who live in Barrington, went before the Town Council on Monday evening. They were selected from among 10 highly qualified attorneys who applied for the post, according to MariAnn Oliveira, Barrington’s human resources director. “We expect to appoint one as the Municipal Court judge at our next meeting on June 3,” said Town Councilor Cynthia Coyne, who has been guiding the creation of a Municipal Court since she recommended it last year. “It has been a long and diligent process,” she said. “We are very fortunate to have two well…
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Approximately 60 people came out Monday night for the first hearing on the master plan for the proposed 'Palmer Pointe' affordable housing development in Barrington.
The first public hearing scheduled by the Planning Board on the master plan for the proposed affordable-housing project at Sowams Nursery in Barrington plowed some old ground and some new soil on Monday night in the library auditorium. Approximately 60 residents, most of them opposing the “Palmer Pointe” development, listened to Union Studio founding architect Don Powers, who has designed the complex, run through a similar presentation on the proposed project that he has made at several previous public meetings for the developer, the East Bay Community Development Corporation in Bristol. Then representatives of CODDER 02806 (Committee Opposed to Detrimental Development and for Environmental Responsibility), the citizens group that is …
Monday, May 13, 2013
The Barrington Planning Board is holding the first of two hearings on the master plan for the affordable-housing development in the Barrington library auditorium at 7 pm.
The first of two separate public hearings on the master plan of the “Palmer Pointe” affordable housing development proposed for the Sowams Nursery site in Barrington will be held tonight. The hearing will start at 7 pm in the Barrington library auditorium in anticipation of a large turnout. The Planning Board has scheduled the hearing. All abutters, in particular, should have received certified letters from the Planning Board inviting them to the hearing, according to Phil Hervey, town planner. The two hearings have been scheduled because the Planning Board believes that one will not be sufficient to handle the turnout -- especially from the citizens’ group, CODDER 02806, which has been circulating a petition against the development and …
The Barrington Town Council is seeking two volunteers to serve as trustees on the Housing Board and one volunteer for the Senior Services Advisory Board.
The Barrington Town Council is looking three volunteers to serve on two town boards. The Housing Board of Trustees has two vacancies; the Senior Services Advisory Board has one opening. The housing trustees serve as advisors to the Town Council on housing in Barrington, particularly all affordable housing developments. The board meets monthly, usually on the third Tuesday. Trustees serve 3-year terms. Click here for more information on the housing board. Senior services board members also serves as advisors to the Town Council. Board members serve 3-year terms; the board usually meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Click here for more information on the senior services board. Résumé forms can be obtained through the website at www.…
Here are highlights from the RI General Assembly session last week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, May 13
Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the RI General Assembly last week. Primary offense for seatbelt violations in Rhode Island remains in place With the 2011 seatbelt law set to expire on June 30, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the sunset provision so that failure to wear seatbelts by adults will remain a primary offense in Rhode Island. The House passed the bill (2013-H 5140), sponsored by Rep. Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence). Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence) sponsors the Senate companion bill (2013-S 0352). Click here to see news release. Senate OKs Crowley bill to use technology to catch Medicaid waste and fraud The Senate approved legislation (2013-S 29A) …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
State Treasurer Gina Raimondo said the pension changes put in place by the General Assembly have made the system more sustainable.
About 18 months after the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a sweeping set of state pension reforms, the retirement system for state employees is "much healthier" than it was before, Treasurer Gina Raimondo said during a recent interview. Raimondo, who spoke with Patch at Mt. Hope High School, oversees the state's $7.6-billion pension investments. She explained that the fund originally "had less than 50 percent of the funds it needed to cover the liabilities," whereas "today, the system is healthy and well-funded." To fix the system, Raimondo and Gov. Lincoln Chafee proposed a number of changes, including suspending Cost of Living Adjustments, or COLAs, for 19 years; raising the state retirement age to match a retiree's Social …
Concerned Doe
10:16 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
How many is lots and what are their reasons? Kindergarten is for children 5 and older. Parents who do not wish to follow the core curriculum can home school! more ›