By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA

December 4, 2025

RICHMOND – The Town Council will announce the name of the new Town Administrator at the Dec. 16 meeting.

During the public forum, resident Tom Marron asked, as he has at previous council meetings, whether the council had made any progress in choosing a new Town Administrator.

“A question regarding the new Town Administrator. Any decision for the people who’ve been interviewed?” he asked.

Councilor Jim Palmisciano, a member of the search committee, responded.

“We had 95 applicants,” he said. “We went through the résumés. We did not interview all of those. We had a short list of about 10% of those individuals, and we considered going to the next round, and we conducted four or five in-person interviews that were two hours each, so then, those recommendations were given to council.”

Palmisciano explained that the council will further consider the finalists at a special council meeting on Thursday, conduct additional interviews on Dec. 10 and announce the final decision on Dec. 16.

“We had to refine the process to determine the questions and formulate how we were going to do the process and try to move through that as expeditiously as possible, but we’re very happy with the process, the way it went,” he said.

Woodmansee Appointed Recreation Director

The council, with Jeffrey Dinsmore opposed, voted to appoint Robin Woodmansee to the position of part time Recreation Director.

Woodmansee’s appointment was endorsed by interim Town Administrator Erin Liese in a Dec. 1 memo to the council, in which she described Woodmansee as having experience in both recreational planning and program management.

Woodmansee previously served on the Recreation Commission and the Richmond Elementary School PTO.

Palmisciano, who worked with Woodmansee when he was a member of the Recreation Commission, described her as energetic and experienced.

Dinsmore said he was concerned about Woodmansee’s relationships in the community.

“I think she’s qualified, but the concerns I have are the existing professional and personal relationships she has with people in the town. I don’t think it looks good to the town, to the community, that someone so close is being hired.”

Council Vice President Mark Reynolds said he felt it was impossible to avoid having previous connections in the small town and added that he believed Woodmansee was qualified for the position.

With Dinsmore casting the only dissenting vote, the council approved Woodmansee’s appointment, which will begin on Jan. 12. As part time Director, she will work 18 hours per week, at a salary of $28.50 per hour.

Special Use Permits and Use of Town Property

Special Use Permits

Town Planner Talia Jalette asked the council to advertise for a public hearing to consider amendments to Chapter 18.16 of the zoning ordinance, which regulates special use permits.

Jalette pointed out that changes to state legislation transfer much of the decision-making for minor applications to the administrative officer, in this case, the Town Planner.

“So, the changes are the proposed objective criteria for all of the different special use categories,” Reynolds said.

“That’s correct,” Jalette replied.

Council President Samantha Wilcox said she was still concerned about special use permits within the aquifer.

“I still have concern with some uses, where if they’re in the aquifer, we’re then creating criteria that doesn’t protect our water supply,” she said.

Wilcox proposed a review of specific criteria that would protect the aquifer, as well as the alternative, which would prohibit certain uses altogether.

Councilor Dan Madnick pointed out that activities taking place in proximity to the aquifer are already regulated by the Aquifer Protection Overlay District (APOD) ordinance.

“You still have to adhere to the APOD requirements,” he said. “So, that location being in the APOD then triggers the applicant to have to fulfill the requirements of the APOD ordinance,” he said.

Madnick noted that, in his opinion, the proposed regulations are vague, citing an example in which a landscaping buffer is required but the dimensional details of the buffer are not stated.

“You don’t tell me how deep my buffer needs to be, so then, the Planning Board’s going to be sitting there, and they’re going to have to make an arbitrary decision on what they think the buffer is,” he said.

There was also a discussion of dark sky regulations, and finally, Wilcox said she was not ready to hold a public hearing.

Council members agreed to hold a public workshop with the Planning Board to iron out the details of the amendments.

Town Property Use

The council considered a draft of an ordinance regulating the use of town property, which would be discussed at a public hearing.

Madnick said he and Wilcox had worked with Liese and Town Solicitor Chris Zangari on an ordinance.

Madnick said the need for an ordinance had become evident when the town began having food truck events on town property.

“It’s especially important because we’re about to develop 4 Richmond Townhouse Road for a pavilion there, which is likely going to be rented out,” he said.

The ordinance would set out the rules for the use of town property, however it would not serve as an application for an event.

Madnick said he had researched the policies and fees charged by other Rhode Island towns and councilors discussed possible fee schedules for large or smaller gatherings as well as resident and out-of-town groups.

Council members also discussed the possible prohibition of alcohol and cannabis on town property, and the use by political organizations.

Wilcox proposed asking town staff for input on fees.

Madnick amended his motion “to request town staff to amend the draft Use of Town Property ordinance based on the discussion and amendments put forth.”

The council approved the amended motion.

Other Business

The council congratulated police officers William Litterio, Ryan Donahue and Brock Taylor for being recognized by AAA of Rhode Island for their commitment to traffic safety.

“The goal is to prevent fatal accidents and tragedies,” Police Chief Elwood Johnson said.

Johnson also reminded residents of the upcoming “Stuff a Cruiser” event, an annual toy drive that takes place on Matthew Thayer Day, named for the Richmond resident who started the campaign.

“We’re looking for new, unwrapped toys that we can bring to RICAN, and we’ve collected thousands and thousands of toys with [the] Matthew’s Wish team,” Johnson said.

The event will take place on Dec. 13 at the Ocean State Job Lot in Wyoming from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Street Name Change

The council said they would need more time to discuss a request from resident Antionette Christiano to change the name of Pinehurst Drive at the point where it becomes a private road, serving her home at 24 Pinehurst Drive.

Zangari was asked to look into the matter.