Resident accuses Westerly staff of obscuring rights-of-way records; council debates maintenance

Anthony Palazolo, who owns property in Westerly but lives in North Stonington, used the public comment period to press the council on historic rights-of-way, town minutes and what he described as a pattern of evasive responses from town staff. "That guy didn't have the foggiest notion of what went on," Palazolo said of a prior staff explanation about Niantic Avenue signs; he accused staff of downplaying the towns prior actions and withholding critical documentation related to Fort Road and other access points.

Town manager Sean Lacy responded directly to the remarks, calling the charges "sensationalized" and saying he stands behind his prior statements and his decades of work for the town. Lacy said specific signs Palazolo mentioned were erected by a neighborhood association, not the town, and that staff would continue to work with CRMC and property owners on access and permitting.

Council members agreed they should pay more attention to right-of-way maintenance and suggested moving from reliance on volunteer groups to a more regular town-maintained program. Several councillors said they would prioritize clearing overgrown access points and consider seeking CRMC approvals where necessary, while avoiding the contested issue of whether a given sign constitutes formal acceptance of a right-of-way.

Palazolo returned later in the meeting to reiterate his assertions about suppressed highway-commission records and urged the council to address what he described as the consequences of a Nov. 4, 2024 vote limiting council authority over rights-of-way.