Preservation society gets $32,500 grant for townhouse roof; members report dangerous electrical outage at event
October 10, 2025 | Foster, Providence County, Rhode Island
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The Foster Preservation Society has received a $32,500 grant to replace the roof on the historic townhouse, and members reported an unrelated but serious electrical problem at a recent event that left upstairs rooms dark and prompted emergency contacts.
At the start of the Oct. 9 meeting, council members announced that the preservation society’s grant (described as sufficient to cover the roof replacement) will fund work to begin Oct. 14. Preservation volunteer Lynn Bridal said the contractor is local and that “all systems are go.”
During public comment, Lynn Rider (Burgess Road) described a recent preservation program at the townhouse where the scheduled speaker arrived to find no overhead lighting upstairs. Rider said attendees found power in the basement and used battery lanterns and portable lamps, and an electrician determined that a low-mounted switch in the preservation office had been pushed and had cut power to the upstairs overhead lighting. Rider said staff and police had difficulty finding the proper contacts when the outage occurred.
Highway Director Gordon Rogers told the council the DPW and preservation staff investigated; he said the DPW director had filed his time-off request and been reachable during the short absence, and that an electrician corrected the wiring the next day. Rogers described the electrical routing as older and tied into alarm or emergency systems, said it likely predates his tenure, and recommended putting the relevant circuit or breaker on a lockable switch so it cannot be inadvertently turned off.
Rider urged the council to obtain schematics and to address other electrical hazards she had observed in the building; Rogers agreed the issue had been rectified but recommended a locked breaker for the tied-in lighting circuit. The preservation society said it will send a written request to the council seeking tree and building maintenance work "because that's where people park their cars, particularly if they come to preservation," and to ensure safety at the site.
Council members asked staff to follow up with the electrician’s report and confirm a plan for corrective work and schematics for future use.
At the start of the Oct. 9 meeting, council members announced that the preservation society’s grant (described as sufficient to cover the roof replacement) will fund work to begin Oct. 14. Preservation volunteer Lynn Bridal said the contractor is local and that “all systems are go.”
During public comment, Lynn Rider (Burgess Road) described a recent preservation program at the townhouse where the scheduled speaker arrived to find no overhead lighting upstairs. Rider said attendees found power in the basement and used battery lanterns and portable lamps, and an electrician determined that a low-mounted switch in the preservation office had been pushed and had cut power to the upstairs overhead lighting. Rider said staff and police had difficulty finding the proper contacts when the outage occurred.
Highway Director Gordon Rogers told the council the DPW and preservation staff investigated; he said the DPW director had filed his time-off request and been reachable during the short absence, and that an electrician corrected the wiring the next day. Rogers described the electrical routing as older and tied into alarm or emergency systems, said it likely predates his tenure, and recommended putting the relevant circuit or breaker on a lockable switch so it cannot be inadvertently turned off.
Rider urged the council to obtain schematics and to address other electrical hazards she had observed in the building; Rogers agreed the issue had been rectified but recommended a locked breaker for the tied-in lighting circuit. The preservation society said it will send a written request to the council seeking tree and building maintenance work "because that's where people park their cars, particularly if they come to preservation," and to ensure safety at the site.
Council members asked staff to follow up with the electrician’s report and confirm a plan for corrective work and schematics for future use.
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