[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6709520,"mediaKeyId","5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df","parentId",5402623,"title","Richmond council narrowly approves Trinity Solar door‑to‑door license after debate over solicitation","audioSeconds",309,"startMs",733000,"endMs",1042000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df&start=733&end=1042","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df/thumbnail_733000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6709520/Richmond/Washington-County/Rhode-Island/Richmond-council-narrowly-approves-Trinity-Solar-doortodoor-license-after-debate-over-solicitation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6709520-5ae021713f00bd47a946ab658cfef33c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143632&Signature=NC2lza-BECjOvFcv0cRa~w1EikiJB0ryo6Xw0kbP2S1kdSvlUYcmRZljv12v5BR83Z~vohgLhomwod5JFBSBXxE-Cp~Z41L8PA5Azsd69WRhsTDSYlpPW~9yhBp02fTQ~GN--0DW5FJsQJqfeja0dyAr4ljfuHBnyy1golTkYpY1TQvHe9CzV8I0bgDhIi~iHNFzpe6hCy2MuWD4HCUhGPceqiitxq02NGR1eVIdOZ2bwR7UkErB-s5jdcmn89XCgTWAI4EkvGjKOsn3fWI3zs23ewfVhgs-K~qX86hbTo~umbNJZi-4beG2ygbkUIosdtjoR2UodUYGfjVPEGC8XQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richmond","date","2025-07-16T02:36:08Z","article","Richmond — The Town Council voted 3–2 on a one‑year door‑to‑door sales license for Zachary Olsen of Trinity Solar after an extensive discussion about resident complaints and the role of licensing in enforcement.

Councilor Jim (last name recorded in transcript as a frequent speaker) led the opposition during the hearing, citing constituent complaints about unsolicited visits to private property and concerns about companies soliciting door‑to‑door without proper permits. He recounted a recent incident in which an unlicensed salesperson visited a home and the resident used a Ring camera to capture the encounter.

Councilor Reynolds and other proponents said rescinding the license category would leave the town with no legal mechanism to regulate door-to-door sales. “If folks on the council are opposed to door-to-door sales, they should move to repeal the license,” a pro-license councilor said, adding that the license offers a path to enforcement when companies violate local rules.

After deliberation the roll-call vote was: Councilor Dinsmore — Yes; Councilor Madnick — No; Councilor O’Shaughnessy — No; Councilor Reynolds — Yes; Councilor Wilcox — Yes. The permit was approved and the town clerk was directed to issue the license to Zachary Olsen.

Councilors noted continued resident frustration with daytime and evening solicitations and discussed possible future policy changes, including stricter limits or a repeal of the license category. No ordinance change was advanced at the meeting; councilors said such a change would require a separate ordinance action.

The discussion highlighted two points of tension: residents’ annoyance and privacy concerns when uninvited solicitors approach homes, and the council’s interest in retaining regulatory tools that allow enforcement against unlicensed or abusive vendors.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richmond Town Council Jul 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors debated the merits of door-to-door solicitation and enforcement before approving a one-year license for a Trinity Solar representative. Three councilors voted in favor; two opposed, citing resident annoyance and enforcement concerns.","taxTitle","Richmond, Washington County, Rhode Island","taxId",79768,"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},6709526,"Council creates 7-member town-administrator search committee, names council liaison and six members",2245,1300000,3545000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df&start=1300&end=3545","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df/thumbnail_1300000.jpg","/articles/6709526/Richmond/Washington-County/Rhode-Island/Council-creates-7-member-town-administrator-search-committee-names-council-liaison-and-six-members","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6709526-45a0ab1bcbae85863af42167ad069aa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143632&Signature=BR5qFQBls3RuL0GLOJAcPwkem~ZnYHoZInaFJpJ0mmcC1s0rIZNuiT0pFibbTFELX1H7-pCv~5oL~UCpR4W1YoYS7pU7AWPW1zmyAyGXV9B6kdHYgH6UU4~htb~VnmuTheHJjkMHdks9PNbA473SiSS6zaYmDy5~5u5pIVQBF7~kTTfgazPrSKzehUct7oHEFrEAaYQTV-bHC6SbaraOv1DNA6TBi~tE9B4dWmQmUCX9SFWDcrqnuTTJ7m3fyrD7l~6~MpkIUZD6JiTi0M~ttdxx~xxNX1PPJVEDpCmWGB~-7YNVKaAoklFfY5NBv2x-3Yo2BqyggMh0J7q5tmHX9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richmond — The Town Council voted Wednesday to create a town-administrator search and hiring committee and to appoint seven members to begin screening applicants for the next town administrator.

The council discussed recommended committee sizes at length before formalizing the panel. Councilors debated configurations between three and seven members, raising trade-offs between scheduling difficulty and diversity of viewpoints. Several councilors said a larger committee would provide broader community perspectives and staff experience; others argued a smaller group would be easier to convene and manage.

Councilor Jim moved to create a six-member committee (three residents, two staff, and one council member) but the council later amended the decision and expanded the committee to seven members. The council then appointed Councilor Jim Palmisano as the council liaison and approved a set of residents and staff to serve on the body. Appointments announced during the meeting were:

- Council liaison: Councilor Jim Palmisano
- Chief (Elder) Johnson, representing public safety (appointed by motion)
- Danielle Andrews, Finance Director (appointed)
- William Day (resident appointee)
- Laura Reager (appeared in materials as applicant, appointed)
- Robin Woodmancy (resident appointee)
- Gary Parker (resident appointee)

The panel will include staff members to provide operational context and residents to represent public perspectives. The council directed the newly formed committee to follow procedures in the town charter that require it to submit a minimum of two recommended candidates to the council; the committee may forward more than two recommendations if it chooses. Councilors emphasized the committee should provide structured, consistent interview questions and fair evaluation of all applicants.

Applicants who spoke at the meeting gave brief remarks describing qualifications and interest. Several applicants cited prior municipal or human-resources experience; many told councilors they wanted to help recruit a leader who can sustain the town’s operations and support employees. The council asked the committee to submit recommendations to the council when the body finishes interviews.

The motion to create and fill the committee passed on roll-call vote after discussion about quorum, staff participation and timelines. Councilors stressed that while the committee must represent a cross-section of perspectives, it must also be able to function efficiently and return multiple candidates for council consideration.","After debate over committee size, the council voted to form a seven-member search/hiring committee to recommend candidates for the town administrator role and appointed a council liaison and six residents/staff to serve.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6709529,"Richmond council approves tax collection resolution, hires dispatcher and green-lights several personnel and license actions",5278,697000,5975000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df&start=697&end=5975","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df/thumbnail_697000.jpg","/articles/6709529/Richmond/Washington-County/Rhode-Island/Richmond-council-approves-tax-collection-resolution-hires-dispatcher-and-green-lights-several-personnel-and-license-actions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6709529-179992b4ccae9fcba016c197d52f0367/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143632&Signature=dX01o0u7Pk5NvcrDPN8LXptmtukr73A3hlUD-NGrtxpjHE4H9bhh7gJG6BPb-VWW2KTU7UqmGas7FViEhGrbXYD1TgYrBSd4tDeLpkdcnbxoB-CCDCoet27tbY6FyayTvneThctFxJz1280siOfT5kYPXUfwpYFHypwoHh6Mi0p5yJBBpGS8QgwDIeHSHJcmAs0rCTCmTyVw~5RX3Eg8jJmbP1MnZzgOifUh29oXEDbs4gTIgVbLZIMHMQryM50ys0YGLbgorYCuQ4Z1HtOEpzl23M9i-MRY~FUqQguyl-C1eYbJ35p2LTuyenDkxiVS4hCJnKUQYa4SmhhObrP~ug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richmond — The Town Council on Wednesday approved a slate of administrative and revenue measures, including a resolution setting assessment and collection procedures for fiscal year 2025–26, a personnel hire in the police department, and multiple appointments and license votes.

Council members unanimously approved Resolution 25-17, described by the clerk as the town’s annual measure for the assessment and collection of property taxes for fiscal year 2025–26. The measure passed on a roll-call vote recorded during the meeting.

The council also voted to hire Thomas J. Dittora as a full-time police dispatcher, effective July 30, 2025, at the salary rate adopted in the fiscal-year 2025–26 budget and including five days of retroactive vacation for his prior part-time service. The hire followed a presentation from Chief Johnson describing Dittora’s part-time service, counseling background and the department’s staffing shortage on third shift.

Other actions approved during the meeting included:
- Acceptance of the resignation of Peter Burton from the Economic Development Commission, approved by unanimous vote.
- Creation of a town-administrator search/hiring committee (see separate coverage for details) and appointment of council liaison and members.
- Approval of a one-year door-to-door sales license for Zachary Olsen of Trinity Solar after a council debate about the merits of door-to-door solicitation (the vote was 3–2 in favor; see separate article for full debate and roll call.)
- Authorization for the town clerk to advertise proposed amendments to the Richmond Code of Ordinances on solid-waste disposal fees for public hearing (see separate article on proposed tipping-fee changes).
- Authorization for two litigation-related actions taken in executive session (mediation authority and participation in opioid litigation were disclosed by the clerk after the executive session; see minutes for full language).

Councilors conducted the votes by roll call. The clerk read each outcome into the record; where the council recorded abstentions those are noted in the official minutes. The meeting also included agenda items that councilors directed staff to develop further, including a request that the public works director present options for how to allocate next fiscal year’s road funds (see separate article).

The council’s decisions tonight set the administrative and financial framework the town staff will use through the coming budget year and move forward hiring and development processes already in motion.","At its meeting the Richmond Town Council voted to approve the fiscal-year 2025–26 tax assessment and collection resolution, hired a full-time police dispatcher, accepted several resignations, approved a door-to-door sales license and authorized staff to proceed with contract and ordinance actions.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6709515,"Council asks public works for plan to spend next year’s road funds after review of resurfacing options",861,6090000,6951000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df&start=6090&end=6951","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5402623-8c6336355662be15dba43b9baf5aa8df/thumbnail_6090000.jpg","/articles/6709515/Richmond/Washington-County/Rhode-Island/Council-asks-public-works-for-plan-to-spend-next-years-road-funds-after-review-of-resurfacing-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6709515-c716571286a18462ddc064c9b6ed2687/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143632&Signature=MixLfjX9LjlfnLiSe9Ip6YUfUziahfmA4AZepwbiSdncVlz04yXlR9aEwxPaKEsguAgUBJsE76fxjxChYZkNez4xPSD8Hpp4KsMsYVHAHsHmz44KyDIpxbDuICVD3kLorHvgspIjIqOcvb65zHBN37qa6ITYQkeK5lBkpptYDtPW~6PWsfynMNGIVHIO7WCJRjLrkjiq4mzTLmENLBDiJL75ZvqAT6ExwnMRmMUzZGdqtFrLWCc-6GEIFTn~nXVwkBYk3mNDp0zGZ4rY0oCX2eDXK6PqJAK3OOyL~R1WI~oRj4nTfWXjToj~wPcOGW8naZVLY6WqQ654wcrYfQ85tQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richmond — The Town Council directed the public works director to return with a prioritized plan describing how to use the funds currently allocated for road work in the FY 2025–26 capital improvement plan.

Public Works presented a multi-page report showing estimated costs for resurfacing, chip sealing and other pavement treatments across town roads. The report included sample per‑mile estimates for several surface options — from rubberized chip seals to full reclamation — and identified roads the department recommends for resurfacing or preventative treatments. Councilors asked questions about treatment lifespans, the interaction between drainage work and pavement repairs, and state cost‑sharing programs.

Councilors and staff discussed the state’s RoadRestore program, which now has permanent funding and offers municipalities a match (the state funds approximately one-third of qualifying projects and communities match the remainder). The council requested that public works identify projects that could align with the state's program and noted that grant timelines and matching requirements could affect which roads to prioritize.

At the meeting councilor Reynolds moved — and the council seconded and approved — a direction for public works to return with a plan and options for how to spend the town’s road allocation in the coming year. The motion also contemplated that two council members would work with the director and report back; councilors indicated they would coordinate logistics and, if needed, convene a workshop or committee meeting to review the recommended list.

Public Works said early estimates show a wide range of per‑mile costs depending on treatment type; the council urged staff to present costed options for single-mile and multi-mile projects as well as short-term versus long-term treatments. Councilors also requested that staff examine the possibility of combining small projects to improve procurement efficiency and cost-per-mile outcomes.

The council emphasized speed on planning, citing a statutory and budget cycle that requires proposals to be ready for grant and procurement deadlines. The council’s direction does not commit funds beyond the budget already adopted but sets the process the town will use to allocate the road dollars already in the capital plan.","After receiving an updated roads report and resurfacing cost estimates, the council directed public works to produce options for allocating next fiscal year's road funding and to propose a prioritized plan.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Richmond council narrowly approves Trinity Solar door‑to‑door license after debate over solicitation

Council creates 7-member town-administrator search committee, names council liaison and six members

Richmond council approves tax collection resolution, hires dispatcher and green-lights several personnel and license actions

Council asks public works for plan to spend next year’s road funds after review of resurfacing options