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Narragansett council approves routine contracts, licenses and appointments; schedules zoning work session
Summary
The Town Council approved several routine items including contract amendments, a victualing license for Gong Cha, numerous committee appointments, authorization to issue an RFP for Kinney Bungalow HVAC feasibility, and scheduled a January 27 work session on mixed-use zoning; it also appointed two members to firefighter bargaining negotiations and entered executive session for labor and litigation matters.
At its regular meeting, the Narragansett Town Council approved a series of routine but consequential items spanning personnel, contracts, licenses and committee appointments.
Among the approvals, the council authorized a contract amendment with Pear Corporation for construction-phase services on a water-quality improvements project in the amount of $129,800. The council also approved issuing a request for proposals for a feasibility study for the heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning system at the Kinney Bungalow; officials said there is no cost to the town until an award is made.
The council granted a victualing and holiday license to M K A LLC (DBA Gong Cha) for a Point Judith Road location, subject to meeting state and local regulations.
Multiple board and committee appointments were approved by unanimous votes: Deb Kopeck to the Towers Committee as the Narragansett Historical Society representative (term to 08/01/2027); the council continued a Housing Authority appointment until April 1 (or until the remodel is finished) to preserve continuity of signatories and HUD reporting; Brian Leet was reappointed to the pension board and a slate of employee representatives were confirmed with staggered term expirations; Carolyn Plant was reappointed to the juvenile hearing board; Donna Hanlon was appointed to the land conservancy trust; and Jan(ice) Caseta was appointed to the Galilee Advisory Committee.
On labor matters, the council appointed two members to the negotiating team for collective bargaining with Firefighters Local 1589. Councilor Donna McNally volunteered and was joined by another council member appointed to the team; the motion passed 5-0.
The council scheduled a joint work session with the Planning Board to discuss proposed changes to Appendix A (zoning) related to allowing mixed uses in the GB general business zone; members set the session for January 27 at 6:00 p.m.
The council recessed into executive session under R.I. Gen. Laws 42-46-4 and 42-46-5(a) to discuss collective bargaining and litigation; a subsequent open-session report recorded votes to seal the minutes of a 12/16/2024 executive session and to adjourn the executive session, both approved 5-0. The public meeting adjourned at 10:58 p.m.
Key numbers and details: contract amendment with Pear Corporation for $129,800; Granicus consultant work and related costs were referenced by public speakers as part of the short‑term rental debate (amounts cited by public comment as approximately $50,000). Several appointments and license approvals were passed unanimously by 5-0 votes.
Next steps: staff to post RFP for Kinney Bungalow HVAC feasibility, planning staff and council to coordinate the January 27 work session on zoning, and councilors to take part in collective bargaining negotiations as appointed.
