Monday, March 18, 2013
Barrington Town Council holding special meeting tonight on proposed tax deferment for seniors and a contract to make the Bay Spring Community Center second floor accessible to disabled.
A proposed senior tax deferral and a contract to further renovate the Bay Spring Community Center are the focus of a special Barrington Town Council meeting tonight, March 18. The town councilors also will appoint a new director to the Bristol County Water Authority and a member of the Ad Hoc Taxation/Assessment Advisory Committee. The special meeting starts at the same time and in the same place as regular Town Council meetings: 7 pm in the Council Chamber in Town Hall. The councilors called the special meeting primarily to assess the concept of a tax deferreal as a whole and various options presented by Finance Director Dean Huff at the March 4 meeting. Tonight's discussion also is expected to deal with the “circuit breaker” tax-limiting…
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Barrington Town Council appoints 7 volunteers to fill vacant posts; vacancies remain on four other boards: planning, housing, energy and the water authority.
Seven volunteers were appointed to five Barrington boards and commissions by the Town Council at its March 4 meeting. Four vacancies remain to be filled. Two volunteers were named to the Parks and Recreation Commission: Robert Dillon of Sowams Road and Patrick Sullivan of Joyce Street. They will serve three-year terms. Reappointed to the Board of Assessment Review is Kristopher Leadem of Nayatt Road. He will serve another three-year term. Named to the Building Board of Review is Michael O'Connell of Upland Way. He will serve a five-year term. A new Barrington Public Library trustee is Kate Johnson of Primrose Hill Road. She will serve a three-year term. Appointed to the Senior Services Advisory Board are Carol DeSpirito of Despirito Lane …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
East Bay Rowing of Barrington operates programs for teens and adults out of the Walker Farm conservation area on Hundred Acre Cove.
Several dozen supporters of the East Bay Rowing club turned out at the Barrington Town Council meeting Monday night to push for a renewal of the contract with the nonprofit rowing club. They didn’t go home disappointed. The Town Council voted 4-1 to renew the contract with the club, which is operated by Barrington residents Deb and Patrick Sullivan out of the Walker Farm conservation area off of County Road. The length of the pact is two years. “They brought tears to my eyes,” said Deb Sullivan of the support shown for the organization at the council meeting. The club conducted classes for about 105 teens and adults last year through the contract with the Recreation Department, she said. It launches its 4-person and 8-person racing …
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Barrington Town Council decides Monday night that more in-depth analysis and discussion of the proposal to start a senior tax-deferment program is needed.
The Town Council took another step toward creating a possible tax deferral program for Barrington property owners 65 and older at its meeting Monday night, March 4. After listening to Finance Director Dean Huff explain a variety of options for a possible tax deferral program, the Councilors decided the issue needed significantly more discussion and analysis. They set a special meeting on March 18 to assess the concept as a whole and various options presented by Huff. The discussion at that “workshop” also is expected to deal with the “circuit breaker” tax-limiting program for residents with lower household incomes. That program already saves about 100 residents more than $125,000 in taxes each year. The tax-deferral program would defer …
Monday, March 4, 2013
Barrington's town councilors to meet with state legislators at tonight's meeting to talk about affordable housing and the Bristol County Water Authority.
Barrington's town councilors will meet face to face with the town's state legislators to discuss affordable housing and the water authority at tonight's meeting in Town Hall. It starts at 6:30 pm in the Council Chamber. Also on a long agenda are the proposed senior tax deferment, soliciting bids for an RFP for a full 2014 tax revaluation, creating an economic development committee, and the proposed tri-town committee to explore alternatives to the water authority. The councilors also plan to set up a pre-screening committee for the town's first Municipal Court judge. Legislators expected to attend tonight's meeting are Sen. David Bates, Rep. Joy Hearn and Rep. Jan Malik. They will discuss with the councilors the impact of the state's …
Friday, February 22, 2013
Bids to add a lift to the exterior of the Bay Spring Community Center to make it ADA compliant to go to the Barrington Town Council on March 4.
Work on making the Bay Spring Community Center in West Barrington completely accessible to the handicapped could start in the spring. The work primarily involves installing a "lift" with an enclosure to an outside wall of the former fire station on Narragansett Avenue. The lift – similar to a small elevator but much less costly to install on an exterior wall -- will allow anyone to get to the second-floor, which was renovated and used as a performance venue before being shut down by the town manager as a violation of federal ADA guidelines. Barrington’s capital budget includes $80,000 to pay for the installation of the lift and other less expensive repairs to the interior stairs. “Both bids that came in were over budget,” said Town …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
New Lt. Scott Carroll is the son of retired Barrington firefighter David Carroll; he was promoted at Monday's Town Council meeting.
The son of a Barrington firefighter is a new lieutenant in the department. Firefighter Scott Carroll was promoted to lieutenant at the Barrington Town Council meeting Monday evening, Feb. 4, by Fire Chief Gerald Bessette, who issued the oath. His promotion during a brief ceremony came in front of his wife, Katey; two sons, Brody and Brock; and his parents, including retired Barrington firefighter David Carroll. “One thing I’ve failed to say is how hard these firefighters work to get to this position,” said Bessette in introducing Carroll. “As I read Lt. Carroll’s résumé, you’ll see he’s done a lot of work in fire service to get to this point.” Carroll is a Barrington High School and High Point University graduate. He is certified as a …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The Town Council approves the ordinance Monday night that will set up Barrington's first-ever Municipal Court; it is expected to hear its first cases in July.
Barrington should have its fisrt Municipal Court operating by July. The Town Council voted 4-1 Monday evening to approve the proposed ordinance setting up the court that was introduced at its last meeting. Bill DeWitt was the only nay vote. "I have a big concern about making the police department a revenue generator," said DeWitt. He also asked if Barrington couldn't, perhaps, work with a neighboring town to share a court? Councilor Cynthia Coyne, the prime proponent of the court, said: "Burrillville and North Smithfield tried to share a municipal court. It didn't work. After a year, they went back to the legislature and asked for legislation to set up their own courts." Town Council President June Speakman said: "I think it is a good, low…
Monday, February 4, 2013
Barrington Town Council to hold a public hearing on the ordinance that would establish a municipal court.
An ordinance that would establish a municipal court in Barrington gets a public hearing at tonight's Town Council meeting in Town Hall. The town councilors also will look at soliciting bids for a full tax revaluation next year, hear an update on setting up a committee to explore alternatives to the Bristol County Water Authority, and get a separate update on the replacement of the bridge across the Barrington River at the "White Church." The meeting starts at 7 pm in the Council Chamber. Under the ordinance, the municipal court would handle minimum housing, zoning and other town ordinances, including moving and non-moving traffic violations. The judge of the court would have the power to impose fines and set jail sentences up to 30 days. …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The Barrington Town Council, School Committee and Committee on Appropriations hold a joint meeting of the minds that got testy over slow start of bargaining with teachers' union.
They didn’t agree on a way to deal with Barrington’s 800-pound gorilla Monday evening. But they did give the Ad Hoc Budget Forecast Committee an additional charge to come up with ways to share services and resources to save money. The gorilla is the teachers’ contract, which makes up the majority of Barrington’s operating budget. It ignited some sniping from the Committee on Appropriations at the joint session with the School Committee and Town Council in Town Hall. “I am very concerned that you won’t be far enough along" about bargaining that has just gotten underway, said Kathy Cadigan, chair of the appropriations committee. In past years, Cadigan said, negotiations got started much earlier in the budget season. The appropriations …
C. Leatherman
3:45 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
RE: The deferment would be for a qualifying senior and spouse only -- no other people/relatives would be allowed to live in house...Would this negate a senior's right to have someone reside in home in order to provide aide and attendance if it were medically necessary? more ›