Glocester Council asks schools for ballot plan, approves police hires and contingency grants

The Glocester Town Council on June 26 authorized the council president and the town solicitor to send a letter to the Glocester School Committee and the school superintendent asking for a clear plan describing how any voter-approved referendum funds would be spent, and set deadlines for that material as the council decides whether to place a school-funding question on the fall ballot.

Council members discussed two possible referendum dates set by the Rhode Island Board of Elections — Sept. 2 or Oct. 7 — and several councilors said the schools would likely need more time to supply the level of detail the council wants. The council directed staff to request a timetable and an explanation of intended spending from the school committee and superintendent by July 7; if that information is not provided in time, the council said it will consider the October date instead. The motion to authorize the letter passed.

The council approved two police personnel actions submitted by Chief Joseph Delprete. It confirmed the lateral appointment of Aaron L. Steer to Patrol Officer II on the Glocester Police Department, effective July 6, 2025, at a salary listed in the chief's memo of $74,902.21 with benefits under the current IBPO collective-bargaining agreement. The council also authorized the appointment of Paige LeBossier as a police recruit to attend the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy starting Aug. 4, 2025; the council record shows a recruit stipend of $700 per week while in academy training (through Dec. 19, 2025) and medical benefits as required by town policy; upon academy completion the recruit will serve a one-year probationary period. Both motions passed.

The council handled several routine and smaller items in the meeting. It appointed members to the town’s 250th-commemoration commission (Jacqueline Wallow was appointed to position 2; Mark Rector to position 3; Matthew Burlingame to position 4) and tabled some other parade-committee appointments until the July 17 meeting. The council also approved carryover of vacation time for DPW administrative aide Beth Decourt (up to 60 hours) and for Public Works Director Gary Tremmel (up to 100 hours) from FY2024–25 into FY2025–26.

On funding and events, the council approved a $4,000 expenditure tied to a town event (motion described in the record as $3,000 from council contingency and $1,000 in rental/donation funds) and separately approved a $1,000 contingency grant to the Glocester Light Infantry; both motions passed. The council received an update on July 4 events and fireworks logistics from a town events coordinator and had a clarification discussion with David Wright of Mulberry Vineyards about prior special-event/live-music licensing; the council said staff will review prior meeting records and the licensing language and return with a clarification.

The planner asked to table an item to expand eligibility for the community septic-system loan program to include mixed-use and commercial structures; the council voted to table that request. The council also voted to convene a closed executive session citing R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(A)(2) for discussion of collective bargaining and litigation, including a pending IBPO grievance; the motion to move to executive session was made, seconded and sent to roll call at the end of the public session.

In an extended public-comment period several residents urged caution about tax impacts of school funding and other costs; speakers said they were concerned about rising property-tax burdens and possible future litigation related to school budgets. The council acknowledged those comments and reiterated that it wants clearer cost and spending details from the school committee before committing to a September referendum date.