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Portsmouth council appoints member to Aquidneck Island Planning Commission after split vote
Summary
The Portsmouth Town Council voted 4–3 on Sept. 23 to appoint a resident to the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, a contentious decision after months of debate about whether the regional body should be wound down or kept functioning to close out projects and records.
Portsmouth’s Town Council voted 4–3 on Sept. 23 to appoint an applicant to the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC), resolving a months‑long dispute about whether the commission should be propped up to complete outstanding work or allowed to disband.
Supporters of the appointment said a council appointee would give AIPC the quorum needed to address administrative tasks — filing a Form 90, electing officers and safeguarding project records — or to wind down operations in an orderly way. AIPC chair Steve Johnson told the council that “the first and most immediate requirement is for us to have a quorum to be able to do any business whatsoever” and asked Portsmouth to fill a current vacancy.
Opponents argued the organization has declined in recent years and functions increasingly as a private 501(c)(3) rather than a municipal body. Resident Tom Grebe told the council that AIPC had “no staff, no facility, only a mailbox” and that a 2017 Rhode Island Attorney General determination classifies AIPC as a private nonprofit, arguing the council has no obligation to appoint directors.
Council debate focused on legal and practical risks, including whether outstanding grant conditions or project records could create post‑dissolution liabilities. The town solicitor and AIPC representatives described state and nonprofit rules for dissolution and records disposition and urged coordination among Portsmouth, Newport and Middletown to preserve records and ensure any remaining assets are transferred appropriately.
After discussion the council moved to appoint the named applicant to the AIPC vacancy; the motion passed 4 to 3. Councilors who opposed the appointment said they preferred to allow a legally permissible nonprofit dissolution or have other island municipalities take the lead in filling vacancies.
The appointee will be added to AIPC’s board roster and the commission’s chair indicated he would pursue options for either professional wind‑down or continued work depending on actions by Newport and Middletown.
The council did not adopt further binding directions to staff; follow‑up will include coordination efforts between AIPC leadership and town officials to determine next steps for records, bylaws and any outstanding grant obligations.
