By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA

October 8th 2025

RICHMOND – Most of Tuesday’s Town Council meeting focused on proposed ordinance amendments. The discussions, which took place during a Public Hearing, concluded with councilors agreeing to continue the items.

The exceptions were amendments to the Town Code of Ordinances pertaining to business registration, the recreation department and the senior activities committee, which were approved.

Council members agreed that the remaining changes, amendments to the use regulations, required further elaboration by the Planning Board.

Town Solicitor Christopher Zangari told the council.

“You’re really asking for a different opinion to revisit the issue on what they deemed prohibited. In other words, they haven’t given criteria and you’re asking them to please develop criteria.”

Council President Samantha Wilcox added,

“Either explain the criteria, or explain why, because I have the same concern.”

Zangari offered to work with Town Planner Talia Jalette to develop the criteria for prohibited uses and have the Planning Board review them and issue an advisory opinion to the council.

Councilor Jim Palmisciano suggested the Economic Development Commission be consulted before the council votes on the amendments.

The council began to consider continuing the hearing, until council Vice President Mark Reynolds urged members to reject the amendments, with the exception of the final amendment pertaining to special use permits.

Reynolds made a motion, which the council approved, to reject the proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance.

The council also voted to continue the discussion of the use regulations by special use permit to the Nov. 21 council meeting.

Town Administrator’s Report

Interim Town Administrator Erin Liese asked the council to consider inviting the four Richmond members of the Chariho School Committee to a future council meeting to discuss the 2026-27 Chariho budget.

“I think, if there’s any kind of conversation that can happen, or we could create more of a combined effort to look at the impacts of the Town of Richmond’s budget, including the schools, that we should do so,” she said.

The timing of the school budget is always a challenge, because the Chariho budget vote takes place before the town budget is approved, however, councilors were not convinced of the need for another meeting.

“I agree that we should communicate more and have all our questions answered, but I find that when I email my School Committee representatives, at least three of them are responsive to me, I would say. One is not,” Wilcox said.

“… Also, Gina [Superintendent of Schools Gina Picard] is very responsive and folks frequently ask questions on their website, so I appreciate it, but I don’t know if it’s going to be the best use of another meeting.”

Reynolds said he favored a public information session, and suggested the council revisit the issue in January.

Praise for the DPW

Police Chief Elwood Johnson said the Department of Public Works had been instrumental recently in resolving several issues.

“If I threw praise to DPW every time they did something significant for the town, particularly to help us out, I’d be a broken record here every two weeks,” he said.

Johnson described an issue with a drainage basin on Main Street.

“Thirty-five years ago, they put these tanks in the ground and covered it with macadam, with pavement, … and we live in New England, we have a lot of nasty winters, salt goes down, water goes down, those are nasty elements that are corrosive for cement,” he said.

Johnson showed a photograph taken in February of the damaged concrete.

“I wouldn’t want to step on that with my foot, never mind drive a vehicle over it,” he said.

Led by Cody Caswell, a DPW team closed off the area so the public could not fall into the holes, which were six to eight feet deep, and began the complicated repair work.

Johnson showed a photograph of the completed repair, which, he said, would have cost at least $100,000 if it had been done by an outside contractor.

A second project involved the relocation of the police breathalyzer test station.

DPW employee Ricky Zabriskie created a new table for the device.

“He took that project on, he didn’t ask for any credit, he did a great job,” Johnson said.

Johnson also noted that residents had brought his attention to the need for a sign at the end of Punchbowl Trail at the

trailhead of the deCoppet estate.

Cars parked at the entrance to the trail block access to emergency vehicles. The sign will state that parking at the entrance is prohibited.

“Basically, do not block. Leave open for emergency vehicles. Something along those lines,” Johnson said.

Human Services Grants

Human Services Director Kate Schimmel told the council that the town had been awarded a $9,589 grant from the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging. The funds will be used for health and wellness and transportation services for the town’s senior residents. The council voted to approve a motion to accept the grant.

Schimmel also received council approval for an application for a $2,000 legislative grant to fund the senior activities committee.

The council approved an additional application for a micro beautification grant from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. If the town is awarded one of the grants, (there are six grants statewide) the funds will be used to create a flower garden in the roundabout and under the Town Hall and Welcome to Richmond signs.

Climate Resiliency Commission

Wilcox asked the council to consider the formation of a Climate Resiliency Commission, which was suggested by District 39 Rep. Megan Cotter.

“It’s something that Charlestown has – an advisory board to give advice to the Town Council,” Wilcox said.

The reaction from other councilors was mixed.

Reynolds said he wasn’t clear on what the commission would do.

Palmisciano pointed out that Charlestown’s concerns are largely connected to its coastline.

“They have a lot of beachfront,” he said. “There’s a lot of erosion.”

Wilcox said Richmond’s issues, such as river flooding and forest health, were also related to climate change.

Councilor Jeffrey Dinsmore said town staff were already dealing with the local impacts of the changing climate, and Reynolds said he wanted to know what the commission would be doing.

“The question in my mind is, is it necessary,” he said.

The discussion was continued to Nov. 21.