Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The total includes a budget for fire and rescue services, in anticipation of the town's takeover of the EG Fire District.
This story was amended at 8:30 a.m., May 15. The East Greenwich Town Council approved a $58 million budget for fiscal year 2014 Monday night, which included money for fire and rescue services in anticipation of Gov. Chafee's signing of the bill to merge the East Greenwich Fire District and the Town of East Greenwich. The budget will be presented to voters at the annual Financial Town Meeting in June. The tax rate would rise to $22.94 per $1,000 of assessed property value, up 70 cents over the current year's tax rate of $22.24* – a 3.14 percent increase. (*An important distinction here: $22.24 represents $20.14 for the Town of East Greenwich and $2.10 for the EG Fire District.) For a house valued at $400,000, that would mean a $9,176 tax …
Monday, May 13, 2013
Your guide for life in East Greenwich today, May 13.
Town Council meeting: On the agenda is a vote on of jukebox application for Rok Bar ‘N Grill, discussion of the proposed relocation of the EG Post Office, and the continued discussion with the possible approval of the Fiscal Year 2014 budget. EG Housing Authority meeting: A review of EGHA monthly management report with wait list append, year-to-date budget performance, 2880 South County Trail development update and the June 30 2012 audit report are on the agenda. At 146 First Avenue at 4:15 p.m. Avenger Action: Boys Baseball, Varsity and JV, against South Kingstown, both at 4 p.m. You can follow all the Avenger action at the EG Booster Club website here. Lobster Roll time: Every spring, Westminster Unitarian Church goes into lobster mode…
Monday, May 6, 2013
Your guide for life in East Greenwich today, May 6.
Town Council–School Committee meeting: The two panels will discuss the 2012 financial report with auditors and the fiscal year 2014 budget, including the possibility of adding a second school resource officer and who would pay for that. At Swift Community Center at 7 p.m. Orange Leaf’s One Fund event: Orange Leaf Yogurt will donate 10 percent of all proceeds directly to the ONE Fund, to help those most affected by the Boston Marathon bombings last month. Stop in for some fro-yo to support a great cause! Between 3 and 7 p.m. Avenger Home Action: Boys JV Baseball versus Barrington at 4 p.m., Boys JV Volleyball against North Smithfield at 5 p.m., Varsity Volleyball at 6:30 p.m. You can follow all the Avenger action at the EG Booster Club …
Saturday, May 4, 2013
What to love and hate about living in East Greenwich this month.
RAVE: Now that the same sex marriage has been legalized in Rhode Island, may I (I am trying to use correct grammar because I am about to talk about an English teacher) take a moment to say how surprised (in a good way) I was to read Karen Izzo’s commentary on the issue on this site the other day? In these divisive times, where those in public positions like teachers, religious leaders, town employees, sports figures and celebrities are lambasted for speaking their minds on even the most mild subject – like a preference for peanut versus chocolate M&Ms – it was refreshing to read Ms. Izzo’s remarks. Let me hasten to say that I would write the same words even if Ms. Izzo’s POV did not happen to coincide with my own. (Which is why, even …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The move is projected to save the town around $250,000 over five years.
Not that we're old dogs, but the Town Council is counting on us residents being able to learn a new trick in the coming year: putting out our recycling containers every other week instead of the weekly schedule we're accustomed to now. Why the change? It will save money. Specifically, it will save around $250,000 over five years, according to Public Works director Joe Duarte. And that includes the cost of the new containers – $237,000 – which will be amortized over five years. "I think people are going to get used to it but originally it’s going to be complicated,” said Duarte after the Council voted 5-0 in favor of the new bid. The existing trash and recycling pickup contract expires in September. Under the new plan, every household …
Monday, April 22, 2013
Your guide for life in East Greenwich today, April 22.
CCK Community Dinner: It comes one week early, but Christ Community Kitchen takes place tonight in the dining room at St. Luke’s Church, from 5 to 6 p.m. Dinner is free to all, but donations are accepted. Town Council meeting: The meeting will begin with a budget hearing, continuing to hear from town department heads on their individual budgets, at 6:30 p.m. It’s scheduled to follow with the regular meeting at 7 p.m. That agenda includes a number of commendations and a hearing on the transfer of the liquor license from Harbourside Lobstermania to Finn’s Harbourside. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at Town Hall. Avenger Home Action: Boys JV Baseball takes on Portsmouth today at 4 p.m. You can follow all the Avenger action at …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
PieZoni's is going to be a take-out and eat-in pizza and calzone restaurant; Raw Bob's Organic Juicery is going in next to Symposium Books on Main Street.
The weather's still cold, but looking at the new businesses opening or planning to open in town, hibernation season is definitely over. Two more businesses announced themselves at Monday night's Town Council meeting: PieZoni's and Raw Bob's. PieZoni's is a small pizza restaurant chain based in East Providence, with 15 restaurants in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Owners have leased space at 1000 Division Street (East Greenwich Marketplace) next to Orange Leaf frozen yogurt shop and hope to open by July. The Town Council approved both a victualing license and a beer-and-wine liquor license for the restaurant. The move did not require increasing the liquor license cap because there are three available licenses right now (…
Monday, March 11, 2013
Your guide for life in East Greenwich today, March 11.
Town Council meeting: On the agenda is a recognition of Town Manager Bill Sequino’s 25 years on the job. Also, there will also be a joint public hearing with the Planning Board on the still in process revised Comprehensive Plan. NOTE: The meeting takes place at Swift Community Center . It starts at 7 p.m. Main Street vet opens: The Hill & Harbour Veterinary Center sign has been in place since last summer and today it opens for business. New patients welcome, says veterinary doctor and surgeon Keith Schoen. Hill & Harbour Veterinary Center, visit their website here, email here, call (401) 398-7808, or stop by – it’s right next to Back to Basics at 500 Main Street. Statewide READ of Is Your Hair Made Of Donuts? EG’s Joy Feldman, author and …
Thursday, March 7, 2013
They met Monday night to talk about the plan to introduce legislation to incorporate the Fire District into the town – firework ensued.
The meeting between the East Greenwich Fire District, the Town Council, and East Greenwich's state legislators Monday night was the sort of lively example of debate not often seen in staid East Greenwich. Here's are video clips of some of the more dramatic portions. To read an account of the meeting, click here.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
State Senate colleague Dawson Hodgson strongly disagrees.
State Sen. Lou Raptakis told the Town Council and Fire District commissioners Monday night that resolutions where there's disagreement between the parties fail "99 percent" of the time in General Assembly, breathing fresh life into some of the EGFD commissioners' hopes to be able to remain independent. That was after about 45 minutes of heated debate over whether or not voters understood that the referendum they passed in November – to merge the Fire District with the town – would actually come to pass without another townwide vote. For video from the meeting, click here. East Greenwich state legislators attended a joint meeting of the Town Council and the EG Fire District to discuss legislation the Council is drafting to create a …
Elizabeth McNamara
2:21 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The Town Council approved a one-year budget. I think the idea of a two-year budget was so everyone could see a little farther down the road, but not that it would be voted on. I will check on that to be sure. Thanks. more ›