[{"_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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6589379,"mediaKeyId","5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb","parentId",5597493,"title","Council approves $198,000 bid to address recurring flooding on Gilbert Street","audioSeconds",130,"startMs",2631000,"endMs",2761000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb&start=2631&end=2761","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb/thumbnail_2631000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6589379/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-approves-198000-bid-to-address-recurring-flooding-on-Gilbert-Street","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589379-03d00a60d0edf164ad0c6d2df22d1ca6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164499&Signature=Om23VNKtsBGy-uSlrQJRn7lT5A8qJoNOfeCU3fcyqSm-gnpWrUw39cV3HHHDmQbr2KVDZHF~s01dgeDBPwkVvu1Q2xKDWGhFreobFE3UMpOlQ2t6hMlPDVDhKofRwBBigKf1aBYDsg~1iyHxi6kwUgejMkQedoUCsCnnb9cK5p9dVaW6GlecY2xMuVdSJepUUaCcKBlekY7NBsQB5N56IFDuc37RdQbfB0pFGw8sEatodDt2Y46P9g9q0b~hJ6LreamGUG60TK2Sj5kn2OovTT2dcRD~cP7NSYPPIPJypQkICGw0bGhUm2QJqeIjFMM6spG6yHgzWPfttjXDB1UeWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Warwick","date","2025-08-19T02:40:49Z","article","The Finance Committee and full council approved awarding the Gilbert Street drainage project to D'Amber Construction for $198,000 to install drainage pipe and catch basins at a chronic flood location. Public Works staff said the job is more complex than a typical in-house drainage job because gas lines run on both sides of the road and a duct from an electrical substation crosses the street; for those reasons, the department said it needed to put the work out to bid.

Public-works engineer Eric Earls said the work will include installing the new drainage line and coordinating with utilities; the department expects the roadway to be paved in the current paving season (likely before November) and will assess whether the paving needs to extend further down the hill depending on settling. Earls said a prior dry well on the street operates during smaller storms but is overwhelmed in larger events; nearby new development has not caused the flooding, he said, because the new development's stormwater system is doing its job — the city’s street drainage currently dumps into the development’s facility and needs to be re-routed to prevent puddling and pavement damage.

Council members asked about the criteria for taking on drainage projects and whether the city prioritizes problems that affect more residents or cause claims. Earls said the department prioritizes projects based on claims history, traffic volume and cost effectiveness and that this section of Gilbert Street has produced a number of pothole and property-claim incidents that made the project a priority.

Outcome: The council approved the contract award. Public Works will provide schedule details to council leadership once it finalizes scheduling with the awarded contractor.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Warwick City Council Meeting - 8.18.25","oneSentenceSummary","Public Works secured a $198,000 contract with D'Amber Construction to install new drainage pipe and catch basins on Gilbert Street to reduce persistent flooding; the work is complex because of existing utilities and is expected to be paved this season.","taxTitle","Warwick City, Kent County, Rhode Island","taxId",4566,"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},6589384,"Council approves paramedic training for 22 firefighters using FEMA AFG funds",140,2280000,2420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb&start=2280&end=2420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb/thumbnail_2280000.jpg","/articles/6589384/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-approves-paramedic-training-for-22-firefighters-using-FEMA-AFG-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589384-98daeeb75be96eeba65dd8c85474a042/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164499&Signature=AtNiUWyYzY38TcfSSOZNlJhbi~GBILNUtME4UYF8AAIa3rV~42PVIv~Nu1PHe3n3pvYxfwZPvfY4zuyQxHe23sWuBIXaM7EOvEyLrqBQs9twp8GBMc5ViBy1gEfKDtz6Tu3~x3FvK~Sa9fQrE04Zmz2-Y96pWcCmZDgnpMIxbGlJib6lmLNPm0uzQmqMofgbDhuemEQWotgc8EtN8s4Q7DpUOCYWUaRIJrQKuFCHz0~f1KNbjQdhFITCjdOxy9RWyW6qzemPVIRH8jOMkv-JsvRyG6lJFliSEKZmfUbYP8WivRTr~wJ7bzFmt7MGLTxak2WwM22-Hg9EUJxkXYcjSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The council approved a procurement to fund paramedic bridge training for 22 current Warwick firefighters through Educational Resources Group of East Providence, using funding provided by a $1,000,000 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) the department was awarded in July 2025.

Assistant Chief Alan Gouvea told the Finance Committee the training is a shortened, bridge-style paramedic program tailored for firefighters who already hold EMT/cardiac certification. The per-student tuition is $4,670; the department requested spending authority not to exceed $102,740 for 22 students. Gouvea said the training provider is the only certified CAAHEP-accredited vendor in Rhode Island that would permit registrants to test for the National Registry and obtain state licensure.

Funding and staffing: The department plans to use about $380,000 of the AFG balance (after earlier purchases, including Scott packs) to cover training costs and overtime/backfill for firefighters who attend class. Gouvea said the grant will reimburse overtime and staffing costs for in-class and clinical time; routine weekly online study hours will be done by firefighters on their own time and not paid by the city. Kent Hospital will host the majority of the required clinical time, per the department’s medical director arrangement.

Licensing and operations: Warwick’s EMS service is already licensed to the paramedic level; the department currently lists 18 paramedics and expects this training to increase that capacity. Gouvea said the department had more interest than 22 students and had to cap enrollment. The program is expected to generate overtime but that cost will be reimbursed through the FEMA AFG grant.

Outcome: The committee recommended and the council approved the exception to bid and the expenditure not to exceed $102,740 to Educational Resources Group, funded out of the FEMA AFG grant account (code 3680455). The department will return documentation of enrollments and will manage scheduling and credentialing through its normal administrative processes.","The fire department will use FEMA AFG funds to send 22 firefighters through a paramedic bridge program; cost to the city is covered by the grant and reimbursed for overtime and backfilling.",{"_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},6589389,"Council approves purchase of new pumper and ambulance; chiefs emphasize warranties and delivery delays",1282,1067000,2349000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb&start=1067&end=2349","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb/thumbnail_1067000.jpg","/articles/6589389/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-approves-purchase-of-new-pumper-and-ambulance-chiefs-emphasize-warranties-and-delivery-delays","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589389-0821816e83d828c99e2d749b661e1dcc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164499&Signature=ncjeUq6V-gwkYXSm1gSZFrntdA8T6sjLjm0vKKfBBbMAno8iQ0OfoWpZk1DGL-WisDD1nKeRNsXuu-pfkQRMOxzZLXBopcjKdoZdZh7tF9WmAHzyVdAPKAIhnihfH9gIsZj2DlboaifpHJoehQZcy4hTMpN8eKeiHck93xY9P-Pb6UTtPjxkFjdyMEXKQwp1AUQZAsGoTMWep~ZfFcgxmflfMXNgCyrXvO3uA3TFAWFUFhHpgyIRH3ldinFcw4vBoS~4XlNsyywl1qf36gd1cNXNlrF0uzRVrapV7g28d4n9VSbp4wSVvx~e2sx3BRI38GM~Bj~crcFIGXYhVBi~wA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Warwick Finance Committee recommended and the full council approved two fire-department equipment purchases after department testimony about warranties, long supplier lead times and efforts to minimize life-cycle costs.

Pumper: The council approved awarding the bid for a 1,500-gallon-per-minute pumper to Greenwood Emergency Vehicles (Attleboro, Mass.) for $896,939. The department said the price covers the complete delivered package, including lettering, lights and sirens, and the manufacturer committed to delivery no later than 36 months after contract signing. Chief Peter McMichael and department staff told councilors they require galvanized frame rails on pumpers to avoid frame-rail rot, a chronic issue on older apparatus, and that warranty durations vary (general warranty one year/24,000 miles; 25-year frame-rail protection; electrical warranty one year/18,000 miles). The recommended award was the lowest compliant bid; the next bidder was roughly $136,000 higher, the chief said.

Ambulance: The council also approved awarding the Type 1 ambulance bid to Northeast Rescue Vehicles of Syracuse, N.Y., for $386,545. Department representatives said that company’s vehicle was offered as a stock unit (not custom-built), which reduced both cost (about $47,000 less than the next bidder) and delivery time (about 279 days). The price includes the Stryker power-load stretcher and lettering; the stretcher hardware carries a separate manufacturer warranty through Stryker.

Procurement and delivery context: Chief McMichael and council members discussed long delivery lead times across the fire-service market and said they must plan purchases several years ahead. The chief described the department’s strategy of maintaining a small reserve fleet, buying used apparatus when appropriate, and specifying higher-quality components to increase equipment longevity and reduce maintenance costs. Council members pressed on warranty-mileage triggers, GPS tracking, and the fiscal implications of long lead times; the chief said price lock on contract signing helps manage budget predictability.

Funding: The purchases were funded through the city’s lease-purchase account (account 4990450) as one-time capital items. The purchases were on the meeting’s bid package and progressed through the Finance Committee to the council consent calendar.

Outcome: Bid awards were recommended by the committee and approved by the council as part of the bid package.","Finance committee and council approved awarding bids for a 1,500-gallon pumper to Greenwood Emergency Vehicles and a Type 1 ambulance to Northeast Rescue Vehicles; fire officials highlighted warranties, galvanized frame rails and long delivery timelines.",{"_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},6589394,"Council holds overhaul of tax-title ordinance after public concerns, asks for more analysis",1932,14601000,16533000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb&start=14601&end=16533","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb/thumbnail_14601000.jpg","/articles/6589394/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-holds-overhaul-of-tax-title-ordinance-after-public-concerns-asks-for-more-analysis","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589394-9ce3ec6eb9757341e656b92643345ea8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164499&Signature=LCHozuFnBZOeYHgc~tKi8ZTPqXjR6KluwKFA6fx5lfuDppDlhCYM6ry366u~T6xWoG4Mm3JNeNKa58NWUxN3QBuVe7xWBWecOuhXeUJqv2U25WS2PMYKi1P-4BAqqa6td-Egb~ls~DKOESVCmxP-ElRqnl0Y5lNKDfcRAcbU6jIS0On-DIkM0U6lpx9WBlcK4KZ2BS0EIVjbr9m0aTBWdwmBm3lcJMay3htCrYqkeIYGDLSVb7QOIZfGJS-jZd5C8A9l~CXVvboDKZo7~mqboI9M78xSBpfLCVjoqHeDkOWGhphvASz-F1PCPRdos3XMvOKow4PM454LjJAC6IqDmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Warwick City Council and its administration agreed to hold proposed changes to the city’s tax-title transfer ordinance after extended questioning from council members and public commenters. The proposed draft (PCO 13-25) would rewrite how the city assigns tax titles for parcels that go unsold at tax sale; the administration says the change is needed to conform city procedures to state law and a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and to free up hundreds of parcels that have sat in tax title for decades.

Chief of Staff Bill Vicente and Director of Assessing Neil Dupuis briefed the council and said the city currently holds roughly 1,100 tax-title interests that are in various administrative states and that the draft ordinance is meant to simplify assignment so properties that have no private bidders can be transferred to parties that will pursue foreclosure-of-redemption and return the parcels to productive use. However, multiple council members and members of the public objected to the draft’s mechanics.

Objections centered on transparency and oversight. Critics said the draft removes or diminishes notice to neighboring property owners, the ward council member, the Land Trust and other city bodies; it also moves day-to-day assignment authority to administrative staff rather than requiring explicit council approval. Public commenters and the Land Trust asked for a prioritized inventory showing which of the 1,100 parcels might be suitable for sale, conservation, or city foreclosure.

City staff acknowledged the concerns and told the council the administration would provide the full parcel list and agreed to better coordinate review with the Land Trust and with council members. The solicitor’s office confirmed the city must follow state notice and foreclosure law, and the administration said those requirements would remain in force, but council members sought time to review the parcel inventory and to work with the Land Trust and other stakeholders on a policy approach that preserves public and conservation interests while enabling the city to move disused titles back into productive status.

Outcome: The council voted to hold the ordinance to the Finance Committee on October 20. The administration agreed to provide the 1,100-parcel inventory and to consult with the Land Trust, public-works staff, and council members before the item returns.","Councilors and residents pressed the administration for more detail on a proposed rewrite of the city’s tax-title transfer ordinance; the measure was held to give the Land Trust, council members and staff time to review an inventory of 1,100 tax-title parcels and craft safeguards.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6589401,"Council approves 5-year tax stabilization for Post Road apartment project, with 20% affordable housing",5248,7481000,12729000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb&start=7481&end=12729","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597493-493e63c6fc6bda9901744d53748233eb/thumbnail_7481000.jpg","/articles/6589401/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-approves-5-year-tax-stabilization-for-Post-Road-apartment-project-with-20-affordable-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589401-f281577625192021f8094b2fb00f2e54/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164499&Signature=ln~6O9xm~WWCMUHla7nv0dv3hZ~kn-dnHoNWKLThRlDwF9hI9bdnXTXKqzkPPWiAGhAVzGPm3sgYGAMaNwVdkkzaFyl6zL9ZRIL3Npe6zVPUlX2MZCm0-hdvCbAUhHnqWotGvqlN8Aj1L8FUq3Ie9pRMGQWGPrYvxC7wnVhysdBYTDF61SKGb8hdzuINERsjKa14V4M9F39Q~4qSt7yO41ajuOAapuxngIj1ZGmlj2tY~OS05X60zKDxpoDWIP598KxtvwBHsipvg9DLXKueSFHYaTLKNOz1ssg6rTDQnZktspnGYjSJOlZaygx3q08xRpA7A9YwDrYdBOsf~CnrOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Warwick City Council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a five-year tax stabilization agreement with Renaissance Development Corporation for a residential project at 1880 Post Road, Assessor's Plat 322, Lot 336. The authorization passed on a recorded affirmative vote during the council meeting following a public hearing and extended discussion about the deal’s terms and community impacts.

Attorney Kate Joseph Shikachi, representing Renaissance Development, described a mixed-market residential project the applicant said would replace a long-vacant parcel near T.F. Green-area businesses. Shikachi said the developer is not seeking zoning relief and proposed a five-year phased tax treatment that the developer and city negotiated as a way to make the project economically feasible amid high construction costs. “This project meets or exceeds every single zoning ordinance,” Shikachi told the council. She said the developer originally sought a ten-year break but agreed to five in return for committing to an affordability component.

Under the arrangement described to the council, the tax-stabilization period will begin when the first building receives a certificate of occupancy. The agreement also includes a 20% affordable set-aside: the city and attorney described that as splitting the 20% into two tiers (one tier at 80% AMI and another tier up to 100% AMI), and a 15-year affordability restriction will cover the affordable units. Shikachi told the council the tax phase-in will escalate the annual payment by 20% each year during the five-year term rather than starting at the full assessed value immediately.

Council members pressed the developer and city staff on the mechanics. Neil Dupuis, Director of Assessing, confirmed the tax-stabilization period is intended to start at the issuance of the first certificate of occupancy for a completed building, not when the resolution is signed or when construction begins. Members also asked for quarterly tax payment mechanics rather than the semiannual schedule initially shown in the draft; the developer and administration agreed to account for the city’s standard tax-payment cadence in the final paperwork.

Opponents and skeptical council members asked whether the project truly needs the tax incentive and whether the agreement would create a precedent for other developers. Councilman Ricks said the council has a duty to “trust but verify” and asked for clear numbers explaining how the phased-in payments compare with standard taxation. Attorney Shikachi and the mayor’s representatives argued the parcel has been vacant for decades and that without a short-term incentive the airport corporation had an unsolicited purchase offer — which the developer rejected — and the site could remain undeveloped or be acquired off the tax rolls. That sale offer to the airport corporation was cited in the hearing as a reason the city would gain more by supporting private development now.

Public comment at the hearing included both support and questions. Supporters said the project would redevelop a long-time eyesore and add residents and customers for local businesses; critics urged caution, asked for stronger protections against condominium conversion, and requested more time for council and community review. The council adopted several last-minute clarifications at the request of council members, including confirming the start-of-stabilization trigger (certificate of occupancy) and an agreement to make tax payments on the same schedule the city normally uses.

Outcome: the council voted to approve the resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into the tax-stabilization agreement. The motion passed with an affirmative majority. The council asked the administration to finalize the contract language to reflect the clarifications discussed in the hearing (quarterly payments consistent with municipal practice, the certificate-of-occupancy start point, and the 15-year affordability covenant).","The Warwick City Council voted to authorize a five-year tax stabilization for a proposed residential development at 1880 Post Road that will include a set-aside of affordable units; the measure passed after a public hearing and debate over terms and oversight.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves $198,000 bid to address recurring flooding on Gilbert Street

Council approves paramedic training for 22 firefighters using FEMA AFG funds

Council approves purchase of new pumper and ambulance; chiefs emphasize warranties and delivery delays

Council holds overhaul of tax-title ordinance after public concerns, asks for more analysis

Council approves 5-year tax stabilization for Post Road apartment project, with 20% affordable housing