[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6089296,"mediaKeyId","2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b","parentId",2874939,"title","Council to pursue state and local options to address squatters; supports temporary-service resolution for election officials","audioSeconds",488,"startMs",2776000,"endMs",3264000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b&start=2776&end=3264","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b/thumbnail_2776000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6089296/Rhode-Island/Council-to-pursue-state-and-local-options-to-address-squatters-supports-temporary-service-resolution-for-election-officials","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089296-2fe04d39572ac25276bd9895f7a88795/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142134&Signature=Vpv~0l4l-DVrDLGwUnJv5FtdMG06o-rvpro2TR1VO-G4l1Kwtu-fl91Mx8HtVTbuFqzbHz83TI3~ZnqUFk8K9ySawejALBJJgrfrr-zNc4mjbK7jnX1Cd~NAUEGGW954VRu5D6f~0YvUOZo~-7kALIEk98j8IYkeOuFF38zOBDIo9ESb9njZLAYtxbz4XbmtlgUkA2Jfg4HaU5UcYXcQRnz3XfBi1KSTlRocC83eHxlUrqmVkqLFuPwrzB9CuWZ0NlYQkG~4CuTi5Tnu73z0fGJF9mxsa57ibkg4KIgGMUhdXyIO5d6pSqAWxAgcdBKAyhyO6jrI-HL3CDSu3BpaIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Burrillville Town Council","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","Burrillville — The Town Council voted March 26 to support a resolution related to a Rhode Island bill (noted in the meeting as H5315) that would allow temporary service of election officials after retirement, and it authorized the town administration to communicate with state legislators and potentially introduce model legislation addressing squatters and unauthorized residential occupancy.

Councilors discussed two tracks: working with the town’s legislative delegation to introduce or amend state law and pursuing a local ordinance through the ordinance subcommittee. Councilor Anderson said the issue has grown and urged action in advance of broader pressures related to housing; other councilors noted that municipal protections (for parks and other town-owned property) should be considered alongside residential protections. The motion authorized administration to “communicate with and potentially introduce legislation to enhance, if possible, both residential and municipal protections from squatters.”

Separately, the council voted to formally support municipal legislation on the House docket that would permit temporary service of certain election officials after retirement; the council’s public record shows the motion passed by voice vote.

Town staff and councilors noted legal complexities — including which state statutory sections would apply — and said legislative counsel would draft language for the council’s review. The council referred the local ordinance option to the ordinance subcommittee for drafting and future council consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03-26-25 Burrillville Town Council Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Burrillville council voted to support a Rhode Island bill allowing temporary service of election officials after retirement and authorized administration to pursue state legislation and local ordinance options to strengthen protections against squatters on residential and municipal property.","taxTitle","Burrillville, Providence County, Rhode Island","taxId",79685,"location","Rhode Island","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089300,"DPW outlines $23 million-plus priorities and stalled projects in Burrillville capital plan",597,2213000,2810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b&start=2213&end=2810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b/thumbnail_2213000.jpg","/articles/6089300/Rhode-Island/DPW-outlines-23-million-plus-priorities-and-stalled-projects-in-Burrillville-capital-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089300-59045ee50d8a840e810b9ba4caf0092d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142134&Signature=SqU9lSDJCZnCm1Q3uPBhLAnbfy9~kMbYMqiXSKDbTeVi6-tfu1Gxk9tQx5n-49pMAmrEEoT8WtTtaVX2PIWEfb5DbXOxDw-I73P-wWzbIL29YJtvNulQS-MHCY7q5k7GXu7XYEexGf82h0iH~jUWc~cGQvKve87AqEU~QTt5HVsipaz4hLFk0nyMW5DLXeKu4HipOIaOQfy~gzoCMYOnz~tfy-EUZLPNjk53Nl~fqLpkJeiHF76rPeRcAWKE31Q13zGtodVDtXLobxvKUnqBTmJ61V3dCXMpsbfLzV-ZpKvCMmKU3~Fl0M1nhQJ4vJjb9tlf0cTvsnUf5CzeQLkwNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Burrillville — Jeffrey (Jeremy) McCormick, director of public works and engineering, presented the proposed capital improvement projects and progress updates at the council’s March 26 meeting, describing completed, under-construction and proposed work that the town is budgeting or pursuing grant funding to complete.

McCormick ran through about 30 slides that covered village street work, sidewalk installations, multiple village bridge and boardwalk rehabs, and detailed the long-running Harrisville Dam repair — a project that has grown in estimated cost from roughly $1.8 million to about $3.4 million as new work and regulatory requirements were identified. He said the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is requiring a low-level orifice and sheet-pile cutoff wall to reduce seepage and allow the lake to be lowered for storm events.

Other highlighted projects included construction at the new athletic complex (grandstands, press box and a future restroom and accessible seating), a planned field house foundation (with a $1.1 million grant application pending for the remainder), a skate-park design and $500,000 in grant funding, a municipal fuel depot at the DPW site to provide redundancy, and multiple road and drainage reconstructions. McCormick said the Masonville water project — adding water and fire protection to Masonville — carries a preliminary estimate of about $23 million and that exploratory wells on the Columbus Club property showed promise.

Several projects have funding secured or partially secured: McCormick said the town had $500,000 for the athletic complex site from a state office, $460,000 for a road project in hand, and other grants awarded but not yet paid or that require additional administrative work to access. He warned the council that sewer-treatment capacity and future upgrades will be expensive and that larger projects may rely on loans that would affect town credit.

Councilors asked for timelines on the Harrisville Dam permitting and whether pipelines under bridges could be aligned with dam work; McCormick said he expected DEM signoff within about a month and that engineers were coordinating several options for pipe routing. No votes were required for the presentation; councilors were informed and directed to follow up during the capital-program adoption process.","DPW Director Jeffrey/ Jeremy McCormick presented the FY26 capital improvement plan and longer-range projects including Harrisville Dam repairs, field complex work, skate park design, water-line extensions, and various bridge and sewer efforts; some grant funds are secured while other grants remain pending.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089303,"Residents press council on turf field, PFAS and professionalism in public comment",492,68000,560000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b&start=68&end=560","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b/thumbnail_68000.jpg","/articles/6089303/Rhode-Island/Residents-press-council-on-turf-field-PFAS-and-professionalism-in-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089303-c32749ec62a94d33003c49229ccc6e4f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142134&Signature=XmhsgOvZ8A7YcqgntT8drIi94HbE6SdlPJBBWl0SN-cRqLzJ1vJMOQi83lc0YILb24gTXgJu4Ij6tjUFSXzA38M1iM5C07W9hUGTugFMIZqcjcy8RdDNYpMwlH-nZAFMCZSNZuYtQrz0WiW-692HukSdCcnT3VFRROFtsoptNIFVvcfOKHl6qxB7lkwrrywKPsagl235zoLz0E4zV5fxuiKoxOCPed4xhKRT0kSC9arz1vVvCGvCWpziqt9BTA6XVo7UCSk7S61-pCkZEIWPd3DNs~pxlluAB3iGGeY1LVs2wUB2ilTVLx~1H2HtEUsxrxsqI-UclXkQqMsifr-KAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Burrillville — Several residents used the council’s public-comment period on March 26 to press officials for more study of the town’s artificial turf project and to raise concerns about PFAS contamination, the town’s legal response and the public conduct of council members.

One resident identifying her location as 183 Nancy Lane said both sides of the turf debate have submitted expert testimony and urged the council to “study this a little bit more,” saying residents were worried about “possible contamination of the water supplies.” The speaker added, “These are citizens that are only looking out for the best interests of the athletes involved.”

Deborah Brown, who identified herself from the public, criticized council responses on social media and said council members should “represent the town professionally.” Brown asked about the conservation commission’s decision not to reappoint Adam Schatz and noted that she could not find recent minutes online. Melissa Novicki of Whipple Avenue echoed concerns about professionalism and also raised the issue of whether the council had effectively bypassed proper permitting processes when authorizing legal action tied to the turf field, characterizing use of taxpayer funds for litigation as “misappropriation of funds” in her remarks.

Council leadership redirected Brown to the agenda item addressing the conservation commission appointment and assured the public that the reappointment item would be considered later in the meeting. No formal policy decision on turf testing or PFAS was made during the meeting; these remarks were raised during public comment and in relation to separate agenda items.","Multiple residents raised health and process concerns about the town’s artificial turf project and criticized council members’ public conduct; callers urged additional study and accountability for use of taxpayer funds.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089306,"Council declines to reappoint conservation commissioner Adam Schatz; residents call move retaliatory",670,775000,1445000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b&start=775&end=1445","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b/thumbnail_775000.jpg","/articles/6089306/Rhode-Island/Council-declines-to-reappoint-conservation-commissioner-Adam-Schatz-residents-call-move-retaliatory","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089306-776b4ceb0a5a94adc45068b48c603d2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142134&Signature=W8KD5onom~~J5vNBaMeecPjaIyYIC~GoMFOsHAP2io1LbDV8tYfSmR0ZLpEfiqi2gkZT7tpPlamvFTH9JDyc8dpuKDYyQhQvrNUQZtXUsBCnbj5wxBt5VbvguvJeX~A3b8ZtrYsOOgZ96QQGEfewYuE4W8BQLsWrpbHAdGzRRKgO5Tb~QGuh8vcI7yckL8zE8bE8dwwfIsv0lkqFvns5RP~yAIi4rqt5qmoznLQLzYaxCsceCqZNT5PRwHW2LFv5UnCUCBu0-M~YtqVxD9rCBhNEXhvUPh78BI1TEpZniSxScqZOnlzVQ0ti2c48eAN7zMGfNkkXQyDLhWjUnrg-QA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Burrillville — The Burrillville Town Council on March 26 voted to accept the screening subcommittee’s recommendation not to reappoint Adam Schatz to the Conservation Commission, creating a vacancy on that volunteer board.

The motion to accept the subcommittee recommendation passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The council did not record the name of the member who made the motion in the transcript; the vice president provided the second. After the vote the council president clarified that Mr. Ross was appointed to a different vacancy and that Schatz’s seat was not yet vacant until the vote was taken.

During the public comment period several residents protested the screening subcommittee’s recommendation. One speaker identifying her address as 183 Nancy Lane said she had known Mr. Schatz for years and described him as “only looking out for the best interests of the athletes involved” and concerned about contamination risks tied to the town’s artificial turf field. Frances de Vigilia of 484 Carlisle Road said she was “very disappointed” and characterized the non-reappointment as retaliation for Schatz’s opposition to the turf project. Multiple other residents urged the council to explain how the screening process was conducted and said Schatz had not been interviewed by the screening panel.

At the meeting the council chair stated that Mr. Schatz had been offered the opportunity to attend the screening committee meeting but “chose not to,” and confirmed the screening subcommittee’s recommendation was before the council for action. The council then voted to approve the recommendation and declare the position vacant.

The council did not provide public minutes or documentation of the screening committee’s deliberations during the meeting; residents requested the town post the screening minutes and the conservation commission minutes (January and February) that some said were missing from online records. The council referred the matter only to record action; no further internal investigation or reversal was made at the meeting.","The Burrillville Town Council accepted a screening subcommittee recommendation not to reappoint Adam Schatz to the Conservation Commission and declared the seat vacant; multiple residents said the decision looked like retaliation tied to the artificial turf debate.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089308,"Burrillville council approves routine permits, contracts and referrals; several motions pass unanimously",0,691000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b&start=691&end=691","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874939-35f26232145b1097cb21bf9ca8570b9b/thumbnail_691000.jpg","/articles/6089308/Rhode-Island/Burrillville-council-approves-routine-permits-contracts-and-referrals-several-motions-pass-unanimously","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089308-4cafbf347a2b55ba9d813a71feb9342f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142134&Signature=Q1Xu0v7xq6Gtomsqwdk2ot47BOKsV9iHi382ZDBptEWQimZmuTHgwlMTYlWi~j1Y1z4Jd6l8BZIHUIACDHsaoI33lNeFNDcO7GjUmds5gvVgtH~ZDpmGfeK3RnBgAnQZPKAfhjBEiQQj2wuUA3mMqf6Nus6znfsbyXvpVL5zG0h2Q~xtu4jxzYYO4vnk3iyITq2QedpuEU-IgWnRZ8~q-i374E1Nmu7xHo9nn4afGP7XKpJIzLHVCldfGuu9CGYkZdGJlLtJ5opXZELa2njssAODgOYfJQvs~utAqdGVHaYErUlCO711rSAsYiSdpdj5fVFI29IkHTdbfwWLJgZRtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Burrillville — The Burrillville Town Council on Wednesday approved a series of administrative and routine items, including the consent agenda, a retail liquor license application, an on-call consultants list, and several contracts and referrals.

The council unanimously approved the consent agenda after moving agenda item 25-015 out for separate consideration. Council members then voted on a set of discrete items: a retail Class B beer-and-wine license for OM Tobe LLC (doing business as Palace Taylor Deli and Creamery) at 16 High Street was approved provided stipulated conditions were met; a three-year on-call consultants list (RFQ 205-4) for engineering and related professional services was approved; and a purchase of a used tractor up to $6,500 from the Spring Lake H Fund (fund 0540) was authorized. The council also approved a field access and maintenance agreement with the Burrillville School Department for the athletic complex at 425 East Avenue.

Finance matters included a three-year engagement with audit firm CBIS CPAs to perform the town's annual audit (fiscal years ending 2025–2027). The council approved the DPW director’s list of consultants and a schedule for on-call rates to be used for future capital projects. The council also directed referral of two governance items — a review of attendance and reporting requirements for boards and commissions and a proposed code of conduct for boards and commissions — to the ordinance/committee process for drafting and return.

In executive-session follow-ups, the council voted to seal the minutes of the executive session and ratified a withdrawal in ongoing opioid-related litigation as discussed in closed session. All of the above motions recorded votes in open session and were adopted by voice vote; where roll-call tallies were given they were unanimous (recorded as “Aye,” with no recorded opposition).","At its March 26 meeting the Burrillville Town Council approved its consent agenda, licensed a retail liquor outlet, approved on-call consultant lists, purchased a tractor, and referred several policy reviews to committees; executive-session actions were also ratified.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council to pursue state and local options to address squatters; supports temporary-service resolution for election officials

DPW outlines $23 million-plus priorities and stalled projects in Burrillville capital plan

Residents press council on turf field, PFAS and professionalism in public comment

Council declines to reappoint conservation commissioner Adam Schatz; residents call move retaliatory

Burrillville council approves routine permits, contracts and referrals; several motions pass unanimously