Monday, May 13, 2013
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.…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The Barrington Town Council, in split votes, favors hiking the tax break for the lowest-income seniors, but ends the effort to start a separate tax-deferral program for seniors,
The effort to start a senior tax-deferral program in Barrington ended Monday evening, May 6. Approximately 90 lower-income seniors, however, saw their “circuit-breaker” tax-credit exemptions doubled by the Town Council. Both votes on the tax breaks were split: 3-2 against the senior tax deferral; 3-2 in favor of doubling the exemption. Town Council President June Speakman, Town Council Vice President Kate Weymouth and Town Councilor Bill DeWitt voted against the tax deferral; Town Councilors Cynthia Coyne and Ann Strong voted in favor. Speakman, Weymouth and Coyne voted in favor of doubling the exemption; DeWitt and Strong voted against amending the ordinance. Feedback from the Committee on Appropriations seemed to play a role in quashing…
Monday, May 6, 2013
The Barrington Town Council will deal with the proposal senior tax deferral program and 'circuit-breaker' exemptions at tonight's meeting at 7 in Town Hall.
The proposed senior tax-deferral program and the existing "circuit-breaker" tax program go before the Barrington Town Council tonight. The former would provide a new tax break for seniors; the latter would change the amount of exemption for seniors or totally disabled. The councilors also will deal with guidelines for public memorials in Barrington. The councilors meet at 7 pm in the Council Chamber in Town Hall. As proposed, the senior tax-deferral program would defer only the “incremental real estate tax increase" for residents after age 65 or 70 – not the entire real estate tax. It would effectively “freeze” taxes after an “election date” until a future date 10, 15, 20 or more years down the road or the end of life. At that point, taxes…
Friday, April 12, 2013
Volunteers are needed for Barrington's government boards.
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Friday, April 12
The Barrington Town Council is looking for volunteers for the housing board of trustees, one vacancy, and planning board, two vacancies, (two reappointments.) Resume forms can be obtained through the webste, www.barrington.ri.gov. at the town clerk's office at town hall or at the library. The deadline to submit your resume to the town clerk's office is Friday, April 26.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The Barrington Town Council and Committee on Appropriations meet in a joint session on Wednesday evening.
A special joint meeting of the Barrington Town Council and the Committee on Appropriations takes place Wednesday evening, April 10, to talk about spending millions of dollars and a new tax break for seniors. The meeting starts at 7:30 pm in the Council Chamber in Town Hall. There are only three items on the agenda, but they are significant: The special meeting with the COA was set up, in particular, to get feedback on the proposed senior tax deferral program. As proposed, the tax program would defer only the “incremental real estate tax increase" for residents after age 65 or 70 – not the entire real estate tax. It would effectively “freeze” taxes after an “election date” until a future date 10, 15, 20 or more years down the road or the …
Monday, April 8, 2013
The Barrington Town Council meets this month on Tuesday, April 9; check out its agenda here.
The Barrington Town Council meets for its regular monthly meeting this week on an irregular day, Tuesday, April 9. The council typically meets on the first Monday of each month. The meeting starts at the regular time, 7 pm, in the same place, the Council Chamber in Town Hall. Highlights of the agenda appear to be the annual application for Community Development Block Grants -- with a recommendation from the Senior Services Advisory Board on the spending of those federal funds. The Committee for Renewable Energy Barrington (CREB) is back on the agenda for the second straight month with two requests: The Parks and Recreation Commission is making recommendations to establish two memorials at town parks: a Dellefratte family memorial at …
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Advertisements are being posted to find Barrington's first-ever Municipal Court judge.
The Barrington Town Council has begun advertising for the town's first-ever Municipal Court judge. The court is expected to begin hearing cases in July. It was approved by the town council in February. The Municipal Court will meet the third Thursday morning of every month for approximately two hours. The court will have jurisdiction over minimum housing and zoning ordinances and any other Barrington ordinances except traffic laws to start. The judge will have the power to set bail and levy a fine of up to $1,000 and imprison violators for up to 30 days. The ideal candidate will be a lawyer admitted to practice before the state Supreme Court, in good standing, and shall have not less than 15 years experience in the active practice of law…
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The Barrington Town Council named volunteers to the Bristol County Water Authority board and the Ad Hoc Taxation/Assessment Commmittee this week; councilors still have four posts to fill.
The Barrington Town Council appointed two volunteers to serve on boards and commissions at its most recent meeting on Monday, March 18. But it still needs four move volunteers to serve. Bradford Louison was named to the board of directors of the Bristol County Water Authority to fill a three-year term that expires in 2016. He is one of three representatives on the board from Barrington along with three directors each from Warren and Bristol. John Harker was named to the Ad Hoc Taxation/Assessment Committee to serve out a two-year term that expires in 2015. The boards that still have vacancies include: Résumé forms for the posts can be obtained through the town website at www.barrington.ri.gov or at the Town Clerk's Office in Town Hall or …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The second floor of the Bay Spring Community Center was shut down to shows in 2011 by Barrington's town manager because it was not accessible to the handicapped.
Work that will allow the re-opening of the Bay Spring Community Center’s second floor was approved by the Barrington Town Council Monday evening. The second floor includes a stage and large meeting area that was used for musical performances before it was shut down almost two years ago. The $89,700 contract was awarded to Tower Construction of Cranston. The company will install and enclose a vertical lift on the east side of the building on Narragansett Avenue to make it accessible to the handicapped. It will repair stairs on the south side of the building to meet fire codes. “It’s very exciting news,” said Dave Parkhurst, who heads the Friends of the Bay Spring Community Center organization. “I’m very happy we’re finally moving forward. …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The Barrington Town Council votes to double the exemption in the 'circuit-breaker' tax program that now benefits approximately 100 homeowners; it sends a proposed senior tax deferment to the appropriations board for feedback.
Barrington’s lowest-income homeowners could soon see their annual tax credit double. The Town Council voted Monday night at a special meeting to double the exemption in Barrington’s “circuit-breaker” program, which gives tax credits to lower-income property owners. The unanimous vote came at a meeting set up primarily to consider a proposed senior tax-deferment program. But the circuit-breaker program was on the agenda as well. Approximately 100 property owners whose household incomes are below $28,000 would benefit from the doubling of the exemption. The Town Council asked the solicitor to amend the ordinance to change the tax break. The real numbers mean that the lowest-income property owners – those who earn under $16,000 a year -- …
lancer
9:34 pm on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
A really novel idea for the council may to consider offsetting cuts in spending more ›