[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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",[32,75],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6088310,"mediaKeyId","2884635-023f6a7c56cae27a86c2ce5b843c7814","parentId",2884635,"title","New Shoreham council debates budget priorities: contingency, facilities, police housing and early learning center concerns","audioSeconds",7859,"startMs",4243000,"endMs",12102000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2884635-023f6a7c56cae27a86c2ce5b843c7814&start=4243&end=12102","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2884635-023f6a7c56cae27a86c2ce5b843c7814/thumbnail_4243000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6088310/New-Shoreham/Washington-County/Rhode-Island/New-Shoreham-council-debates-budget-priorities-contingency-facilities-police-housing-and-early-learning-center-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6088310-340adec12f63f74b659a7c67e6d0b61b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078656&Signature=i6rJe~qfAljRYye3Derq7a4n0pYq9UI0l8TWluI1yeLuW96BHp5MXC5Zdp1bYQynVS9aJWPCKvDRzp6Ujgjgq6yZtq1v7I3s-MvvRizTXzxWKP2lVqryVSvWJnvKN7F8Qh6ZACMHM3Hk9ntJyyaM1iI7c0ji9NnGB4SOEj8lQoRn-c6cDyBuSecv9yjcItxdjPlDUwowwEXg7kOipFnUiogSct5kNWkZxVV-NHTS2i-NkMbt0MwTrcMdY0uzTSGq0dxGMsF9BfHJ3S7mWOyHZYfmLZvLcqA8Aeskg95yWZpJ8nhaLX8ODKXXwG6DzgDXba5Gby75cdIdKMUen1BxfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of New Shoreham","date","2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","article","The New Shoreham Town Council spent the April 3 meeting reviewing proposed budget lines and priorities, including a request from the housing board for a $2 million town warrant. Councilors discussed re‑allocating $20,000 for staffing contingencies, raising deer‑management reimbursements, facility maintenance funding, policing and housing provisions, and concerns raised by parents about the Early Learning Center.

Nut graf: Budget deliberations focused on choices between holding funds in contingency versus allocating them to specific departments; several council members emphasized preventive maintenance and staffing to avoid higher costs later, while public commenters and a nonprofit director urged a neutral review of communication and governance at the town’s Early Learning Center.

Town manager Amy and council members debated how to present interim staffing requests in the recommended budget. Bill proposed moving $20,000 into contingency to reserve the funds until job descriptions and staffing plans are finalized; Amy said the published budget reflected the status quo through June 30 but indicated the council could reallocate funds later. “The budget is recommended as it's presented,” Amy said, adding that the council can still use its discretion; she agreed the mechanical move would work if the council wanted the funds in contingency.

Councilors discussed facilities maintenance versus reactive repairs. Staff explained that a requested facilities maintenance line had been reduced (from a requested $150,000 to $110,000) to remove items duplicated elsewhere. Tom (facility manager) said reducing the request would stretch the town’s painting schedule and reduce multi‑year maintenance capacity. Council members emphasized that proactive building upkeep saves money over time and asked for clearer multiyear maintenance plans.

Police and housing: Councilors reviewed housing provided for police staff and the town’s newly acquired Thomas property. Staff said two units at the Thomas House will be treated under an existing consent decree tied to that property; the council discussed prioritizing year‑round residents for the Thomas units rather than seasonal summer staff. Councilors also reviewed the current police housing stipend and noted U.S. Department of Justice–related lease restrictions for non‑police tenants on leased units.

Short‑term rentals and enforcement: The council discussed a request for additional staff time to manage short‑term rental permits and enforcement. The initial staffing request was for 20 hours per week; council members recommended funding 10 hours per week as a first step and asked staff to ensure that short‑term rental workload and other land‑use enforcement tasks are coordinated to avoid leaving unresolved zoning work undone.

Early Learning Center concerns: A sizable portion of the meeting focused on comments by Julie, director of the Early Learning Center, responding to multiple anonymous parent complaints about communication and governance. Julie described the center’s written grievance process, daily in‑person parent contact, required parent orientations and a public binder with policies and minutes. Council members said recurring anonymous complaints and an “uncomfortable” board meeting reported by multiple people showed a need for an independent review. Several councilors recommended a neutral third‑party assessment to gather parent feedback, review bylaws and governance, and suggest remedies; Julie said she would cooperate with a review if the council pursued it.

Other line items discussed included a proposal to add $2,100 to the deer‑management line to fund additional deer‑tail reimbursements and concern about energy and equipment costs in dispatch and public safety. Councilors asked for clearer breakdowns for training costs and any technology licensing carried over from capital funds.

Ending: Councilors kept the public hearing open while they worked through budget lines and scheduled further deliberation on upcoming agenda dates. They also moved and approved a formal convening of the public hearing at the meeting, and later adjourned that hearing after the review. Staff was asked to return with more detailed cost breakdowns and to present options for third‑party review of the Early Learning Center and for adjusting facilities maintenance schedules.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","New Shoreham Town Council 4/3/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a workshop following the housing presentation, the New Shoreham Town Council and staff reviewed the proposed fiscal year budget, discussed moving $20,000 to contingency, facility maintenance levels, police housing rules tied to a consent decree, short‑term rental enforcement hours, and community concerns about the Early Learning Center.","taxTitle","New Shoreham, Washington County, Rhode Island","taxId",79696,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6088315,"Block Island Housing Board asks New Shoreham for $2 million warrant for Ball O'Brien affordable housing",3832,389000,4221000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2884635-023f6a7c56cae27a86c2ce5b843c7814&start=389&end=4221","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2884635-023f6a7c56cae27a86c2ce5b843c7814/thumbnail_389000.jpg","/articles/6088315/New-Shoreham/Washington-County/Rhode-Island/Block-Island-Housing-Board-asks-New-Shoreham-for-2-million-warrant-for-Ball-OBrien-affordable-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6088315-44c767ff699684b37c820bdabea11fc5/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078656&Signature=iZHflBtnM9FV4n00bLMm5ZrGJb-1rhHCgrt9-jJ1AtRGS-u8X40Ihc-yedmeNCNBeilpAyNoVxdQ5dlxcC-A5ulQqIRRnlxGL5f4LjkPv5LDpAPnxrPfg-ZzmLNYnFU2~w4yjCjfJvCZHhkHXdObr3-DbLYyi3ucjF4wNM25~SfovbZSWEteucT0hu4ZdtHy0d8Nl-e8BP-OiZzwde7IctwtKlrUD5lL-mtVBLcZPvO7OEppJ4cHfIZUgYvzqZf~-Oi-dHt6bfOvJaqtkzAVg4C9w08b7oGrMO74wC8erdYf4PV0UdQQ4V132g~CjPJUE9rse9rdwQQ3X3u1AeU8vw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mark McGuire, chair of the Block Island Housing Board, asked the New Shoreham Town Council on April 3 to put a $2,000,000 warrant on the upcoming financial town meeting ballot to help fund the Ball O'Brien Project, a 16-unit modular housing development on Westside Road.

Nut graf: The housing board says the town contribution would reduce its financing gap, make applications to Rhode Island Housing more competitive and allow limited infrastructure work to begin. Public comments at the council meeting emphasized local workforce and year-round resident needs.

The project site is Plat 18, Lot 2-3, about 2 acres adjacent to the East Searls Ball development on Westside Road. The design presented to the council calls for eight two‑story buildings with two two‑bedroom units each (16 units total). Two of the buildings would include one accessible unit each, and the board intends modular construction with on‑site finishing.

“We have approximately $1,500,000 on hand,” Mark McGuire told the council, citing grant money already raised. He said the housing board has done preliminary bidding: bids incorporating infrastructure and finishing ranged “from 6.4 to 7.5,” with infrastructure estimated at about “1.1 to 1.2.” McGuire said the board is updating those bids because costs have risen since the original request for proposals about 18 months ago.

McGuire described funding already secured or sought: the Russo Foundation provided a multi‑year grant described in the presentation as “300 ks,” the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank granted “2.50 ks” to begin infrastructure work, and a “solar initiative” contributed “400 ks” toward solar installation. The housing board said it would use its bond authority and rental income to repay town‑backed debt if the warrant passes.

McGuire and other board members said the development would strengthen pending applications to Rhode Island Housing. He said the board’s applications in 2023 and 2024 were rejected because, Rhode Island Housing told them in a phone briefing, “the development is too small … and the cost of construction per unit is too high.” McGuire said the board will apply again in the fall and believes showing a town commitment would improve its prospects.

Public comment at the meeting included several residents describing how lack of year‑round housing affects municipal services and local businesses. USPS worker Jessica Rosado told the council she will be displaced from island housing in June and called affordable year‑round rental opportunities essential to retaining municipal employees and other workers. “I would have to move back in with my mother out of state again,” she said, adding that commuting to her job would be unaffordable.

Housing board member Chris Warfield said the board has prepared dynamic pro formas modeling mixed rental and for‑sale scenarios and that offering some units for sale could help finance the remaining rental units if grants fall short.

Council members and staff asked detailed questions about applicant eligibility, the interplay between federal and state funding rules (discussed with respect to the East Searls Ball federal project), whether accessory dwelling units count toward state definitions of affordable housing, and how the development’s rent would be calculated. Cindy (housing board member) and other presenters said rents would likely be set using adjusted median income guidelines and that tenants would be re‑qualified annually.

Council members also pressed housing board presenters on the applicant waiting list, which the board said currently shows about 87 active names after recent updates; the board said one volunteer was making more phone calls to verify and reduce the list to current, viable applicants.

Ending: The council did not vote on the warrant at the April 3 meeting; members treated the session as an informational presentation and invited the board to the town warrant process. The council later convened a public hearing (recorded separately) on the budget and warrant items. The housing board said it will apply again to Rhode Island Housing in the fall and emphasized a town commitment would strengthen that submission.","The Block Island Housing Board presented a plan for 16 modular housing units and asked the New Shoreham Town Council to place a $2,000,000 warrant on the financial town meeting ballot to strengthen applications to Rhode Island Housing and begin site infrastructure work.","actionData","errors"]

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New Shoreham council debates budget priorities: contingency, facilities, police housing and early learning center concerns

Block Island Housing Board asks New Shoreham for $2 million warrant for Ball O'Brien affordable housing