Monday, January 21, 2008

Middletown Council Meeting Tuesday

Middletown Council meets Tues. at 7:00. One item on the agenda is a report from the Town Engineer on the feasibility of converting land behind Forest Ave. school to rec space (fields, etc.). However, this was NOT the space that was one time a diamond & tennis courts. This area was next to the school to the right of the main entrance (facing it). A number of years ago the school dept. in its wisdom sold this property to the nursing home next door for their expansion. This was when the school was actually leased out to a private school. The nursing home placed a foundation there, but went no further.
The area they are now discussing is the area behind the school & is now designated "marsh." So no fields there.
Council Prez Rodrigues is calling for members to submit names for a Town Admin. search committee. Names need to be submitted by members to the Clerk by Jan. 30. The Council will then take this committee membership up at its next meeting, Mon., Feb. 4.
The Rec Dept. (Tim Shaw) is holding meetings and provides "an opportunity for residents and local interest groups... for input regarding the Town's master plan and objectives currently under development" regarding parks, fields, etc. Click here for schedule.
The School Committee is requesting Council support for a bill requesting the Lege increase funding for educating students living in group homes. This is an annual request which never seems to go anywhere. I am wondering if they filed for reimbusement of funds for a state mandate which is funded, but not fully. The town did file for almost $9,400, which was granted, but I do not know for what. It should file for a LOT more of these reimbusements. Can't hurt.
Councillor Mello would like an update for the crosswalk at Paradise & Green End Ave. (where she lives, btw).
Then also will discuss the R.I. Supplemental budget proposed for the Guv for 2008. Should prove interesting- LOL.
They are not asking anything (like a report) from the wind power committee which is non-functioning (only two members). Since two of the proposed wind farm projects involve our area, an informed committee might prove useful. Rep. Kennedy just expressed opposition for these projects. Why not just expand this committee to one that is similar to Newport's- "Newport Goes Green Task Force." The time has come now that we're approaching "peak oil." Energy is NOT going to be getting cheaper. Does the town have a plan to reduce energy consumption?
It also appears that there is no interest in discussing the improvements to the Atlantic Beach area which the town paid good money for. It doesn't "speed traffic up" so no-go, I guess. Pity. Also no further discussion on the School Committee's recent plan calling for bonding. This was also an expensive study which appears to be going nowhere. Call your Councillor on any of these items if they are of interest. I do. That's probably why I was recently banned from e-mail subscriptions on the school's server. LOL

6 comments:

chasval said...

With the out-going Town Manager claiming religious discrimination, I bet their won't be any Jews on the list of names the council Prez is requesting!

Anonymous said...

That's interesting. I hadn't heard that. I didn't know that he was Jewish, nor would I have cared anyway.

B42 said...

Thanks for the Forest Ave School info, I'm not able to view the document and am interested in how this all turns out.

Anonymous said...

Does this link help?

http://70.168.205.112/midd_ri/lpext.dll/Infobase6/lpext.dll?f=objects&fn=08_045.tif

You may need to load a program to view it properly (I know that I did & it took me awhile to figure it out). On one of the clerkbase pages it gives you a choice of programs to download. That's the trick. You then use this program to open up docs on that site.

If this doesn't help, use my "Contact Me" button, send me your e-mail,& I'll try & send you the whole doc.

Hope this helps.

B42 said...

Thanks Eileen, I'll go back to clerkbase and check out those add ons.

Anonymous said...

"The time has come now that we're approaching "peak oil." Energy is NOT going to be getting cheaper. Does the town have a plan to reduce energy consumption?"

So was there any motion on energy issues at that meeting? Cities and towns are really the front lines and the innovators in both peak oil and climate change adaptation.