Tiverton confirms appointments and licenses, ratifies new building official

Tiverton — The council confirmed several personnel actions and licenses during the special meeting, including an appointment to a vacancy, approval of a private‑detective license and formal ratification of the new building official.

Appointments and licensing: • Steven Clark — Motion made and seconded to appoint Steven Clark to the Harbor Commission (planning board seat, term to 07/15/2025). The solicitor advised no interview was required; the council voted in favor.

• Private detective license — Motion to approve Arthur Brown’s application for a Rhode Island private detective license (subject to meeting legal requirements) was made, seconded and approved. Brown identified himself for the record and said he would operate under the 2024 Rhode Island statute covering private detectives (meeting cited Title 5, Business and Professions chapter).

• Building official — The council unanimously ratified the employment contract for Thomas Verrata as Tiverton’s building official. The interim town administrator said Verrata had been serving as senior state building official, had been acting in the town for two months and had met with local contractors. Councilors who took part in the interview process praised his qualifications and said they expected organizational improvements in the building‑official’s office.

Why it matters: The appointment and licenses restore capacity to several municipal functions: harbor/plan review, law‑enforcement‑adjacent licensing and building department oversight. The new building official is expected to lead a reorganization and update the town’s approach to code enforcement and permit processing.

What’s next: The building official, department staff and the administrator will continue onboarding and meet with stakeholders; the clerk and appropriate departments will complete licensing paperwork and confirm terms.