Atlantic Beach District committee urges council to restart TIF funding for utilities undergrounding

Representatives from the Middletown Economic Development Advisory Committee (MEDAC), property owners and business owners in the Atlantic Beach District urged the Town Council to commit funding to the Atlantic Beach District tax‑increment financing (TIF) program to support undergrounding of utilities and other infrastructure improvements.

MEDAC chair Valerie Geld and member Robert Silva presented the council with the committee’s plan and asked the council to fund the Atlantic Beach TIF this year and in subsequent years to support undergrounding of utilities, streetscape improvements, a potential boardwalk along Easton's Pond, and reuse of the Aquidneck (Quinneck) school property. Silva described the TIF mechanism adopted in February 2018 and said if the council had implemented it fully at that time the district could have sequestered more tax increment revenue; he said the council previously set aside only $418,315 for the TIF and has since allocated portions of that amount to other projects.

Speakers from the district — residents and business owners — urged commitment from the council to show good faith and to allow time to secure private donations and state and federal grants. A property owner who said he holds parcels in the district testified that residents and businesses overwhelmingly favor undergrounding utilities; business and residents cited improving resiliency to storms and enhancing the gateway between Middletown and Newport as motivations.

Council members discussed the request and several said they support the concept but noted budget constraints. Councilors emphasized the timing: the town starts a tight budget process with education reductions cited by staff, and councilors said they will review the request as part of the upcoming budget deliberations. One councilor asked for an up‑to‑date feasibility and cost estimate; town staff and MEDAC said Rhode Island Energy (and previously National Grid) would need to provide a current feasibility cost estimate and that a meeting with Rhode Island Energy was being scheduled to assess costs and design options.

Council members did not make an immediate appropriation at the meeting but several pledged to consider restarting TIF contributions in the budget process. "We need to go through the budget process, and let's see where we end up," a councilor said. MEDAC members and district stakeholders said committing to the TIF now — or to fund initial feasibility/design work — will help secure additional private and grant funding.