Richmond council approves entertainment license, hires tax collector and sends multiple resolutions to state

The Richmond Town Council approved a slate of routine and policy actions during its meeting, including an outdoor entertainment license for the Warwick Civic Orchestra, the appointment of a new tax collector, three committee appointments, approval to apply for a state cybersecurity grant and two resolutions for transmission to the General Assembly.

The council voted unanimously to issue an outdoor entertainment license to the Warwick Civic Orchestra (doing business as Warwick Civic Orchestra) for an event at the Washington County Fairgrounds on June 14 (rain date June 15), allowing food trucks and a performance that will include singers from local opera programs. Catherine Gagnon, music director, told councilors the concert will be free and that the group expects a significant turnout bolstered by promotion through Farm Fresh Rhode Island.

Councilors appointed Brandy Chapman as Richmond’s tax collector on the recommendation of the town administrator. The motion recorded Chapman’s start terms as described in the staff recommendation: a compensation figure stated in the record as "$50,403 and $60.60 cents at a 5-day, 30-hour work week, with two weeks vacation." The council voted to confirm the appointment. The council asked the solicitor to confirm that the two-week vacation provision, which differs from the town ordinance default, was acceptable because it followed the recommending memo.

The council also approved three volunteer appointments: Bryce Kelly to the Affordable Housing Committee (term exp. 05/31/2028); Carl (last name in the record unclear) to the Richmond Investment/Commercial Health Task Force (as a planning-board designee, term exp. 12/31/2026); and Michelle Martel to the Recreation Commission (term exp. 01/31/2028). The council accepted the resignation of Dan Fitzgerald from the wellness committee with regret.

Other action items: the council continued consideration of an award to Automatic Temperature Control, Inc., for DPW furnace replacement (bid amount recorded in the packet as $54,627) to the April 9, 2025 meeting pending additional breakdowns; approved the town’s RIEMA cybersecurity grant application (to move town systems from a .com to a .gov domain and address initial cybersecurity needs); and approved amendments to minutes (including clarifying language that the planning board had not adopted a motocross-specific review procedure) and the March 18 meeting minutes.

On state policy, the council unanimously approved sending a resolution supporting two Chariho/region-backed requests: 1) urging the General Assembly to consider legislation allowing school districts to use their own transportation contractors for out-of-district/private-school routes (with state reimbursement), and 2) urging the General Assembly to consider requiring private schools to share in the cost of transporting their students. In debate, one councilor framed the change as a cost-sharing approach rather than a full shift of expenses. Public comment included both support and opposition from Richmond residents.

The council also approved a separate resolution opposing Senate Bill 416, which would eliminate the state meal-and-beverage tax that currently returns revenue to municipalities; the council said losing that revenue would require offsetting local decisions. The council instructed staff to insert current local revenue figures into the resolution before transmission.

The meeting ended with a motion to enter executive session on collective bargaining (IBPO 425), which the council approved; the council later exited and sealed the executive-session minutes. No votes on substantive public actions were taken during executive session.

Ending: Councilors identified multiple follow-ups: staff to add numerical budget figures to the meal-and-beverage resolution; the DPW furnace bid to be revisited with cost breakdowns on April 9; and the town will proceed with the RIEMA grant application as approved.