Preliminary $98 Million Budget Approved

The council will hold a series of workshops and hearings before the final budget is adopted.

The budget season is in full gear now as the North Kingstown Town Council approved its preliminary budget for the fiscal 2014 year on Monday night. The $98,153,118 is the launching point for the remainder of the budget process and is subject to change from now until the final budget ratification sometime in May. The preliminary budget fully funds the school department’s budget increase request of about $1.6 million. The council did, however, deny a request to fund the school’s capital improvement with $500,000 and instead allotted $0 in the initial budget. On Thursday, March 28, the council will meet to discuss the school’s side of the budget and whether or not to fully fund the school department. The general fund will increase by about $…

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I'm Tired of the Games

4:15 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013

A waste of time to watch the dog and pony show by these clowns! I know how books are supposed to be kept and not having any costs for this in the budget is deceptive at best. Where is the disclosure by this Town Council and Mr. Embury? CR. maybe you can enlighten all of us people who are not all-seeing as you are. Are you the wizard behind the screen?   more ›

Residents Halt Proposed Parking Ban

The current parking on Walmsley Lane and River Road will hold.

  Two weeks ago, the North Kingstown Council was on the road to restricting parking near the University of Rhode Island’s Campanella Rowing Center – located off Tower Hill Road near the South Kingstown town line. Now, the matter has been tabled following outcry from many residents and community members. The council initially began looking at banning parking on River Road and restricting parking on Walmsley Lane, which is a narrow, unpaved road that leads down to Narrow River and URI’s boathouse, where the URI crew teams practice and hold their meets.  Without a parking lot, crew members have been forced to park along the side of the narrow road. Over the years, several residents have complained about the situation, citing that the road is …

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Town Looks to Consolidate Marina, Harbormaster Positions

The harbormaster and assistant harbormaster will take over duties at Allen Harbor Marina.

  The retirement of Allen Harbor Marina's operations manager may open the door for town officials to try something new, according to Town Manager Michael Embury. At the town council's Monday night meeting, Embury put forth a proposal to eliminate the vacant position at Allen Harbor Marina – located in Quonset and owned and operated by the town. The former operations manager, a part-time position, was paid $20 an hour. According to Embury, the former operations manager, William Slater, and was scheduled for 20 hours per week. Embury told the council that he and the town's harbor master, Ed Hughes, attempted to contact interested parties for the vacant position, but the pay dissauded many from pursuing. "It's going to cost you more than $20 …

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Politics Sheriff of NK

11:56 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013

Tired you're such a nasty person from NKGOP. The reason a truck goes to get food is in case a call comes in. That could save a life. It is standard practice. But to you, saving lives and eating lunch are not as important as attacking the firefighters. As usual. Why dont you crawl back under your rock, no one is buying your NKGOP-fueled hate anymore. Puhleeeeze.   more ›

Council Discusses Potential Location for Dog Park

The town manager proposed a possible location for a dog park in town.

  For dog owners in North Kingstown, there aren't a lot of places to legally let their pets off the leash in town. Parks like Ryan Park and Wilson Park both mandate that dogs be leashed at all times while on the grounds while the North Kingstown Town Beach prohibits dogs in general. At Monday night's town council meeting, Town Manager Michael Embury proposed a possible location for NK's first dog park. Though it's not a priority, Embury says that many residents have expressed interest in having a dog park in town similar to those in South Kingstown and Newport. According to Embury, there is a vacant, town-owned parcel of land located across from Allen Harbor at the corner of Bruce Boyer Street that may be suitable for such a park. "People …

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Kathy Yeager

3:05 pm on Wednesday, April 3, 2013

I would like to see something for our kids as well.   more ›

Town Approves Hiring of Economic Development Planner

The council approved a $65,000 to $75,000 position that would concentrate on improving and expanding the NK business community.

  The North Kingstown Town Council unanimously approved a new town position, focused in improving and expanding business in town. The new position, an "economic development planner," will be employed under the town's planning department for a 12-month contract position. After the 12-month term, the council will decide whether to extend the position or nix it. The position, paying between $65,000 to $75,000, would specialize in obtaining grants for the Town of North Kingstown, assist local businesses, identify and develop programs to assist in economic development and more throughout all of North Kingstown. For the most part, council members favored the move to create such a position, citing that the planning department doesn't have enough …

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Politics Sheriff of NK

9:55 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013

Recall wont work, the same people who calling shots made sure of that Lizzy Borden Dolan was on the charter commission when recall was written up to be impossible to use. "Lizzy Borden gave the taxpayers forty whacks, when they saw what she'd done, she turned and gave them another forty one". Retire the old GOP mule but you complainers need for FORM A GROUP to do it. It CAN BE DONE if you all get…   more ›

Five Things To Know Today

5 Things: Warming Centers, Blizzard Pics & Cupcakes

Five things to know for Feb. 10.

1.  Many North Kingstowners are still without power this morning. Click here for into about local warming centers if you need to seek refuge from the cold. 2.  For all you shutterbugs who were out taking pictures yesterday (and probably snapping more today), add your photos to our gallery here. 3.  Today's Cupcake Wars at North Kingstown High School have been postponed until tomorrow night at 6 p.m. 4.   In non-blizzard news, the North Kingstown Town Council meets on Monday at 7 p.m. at Beechwood Center. Check here for the full agenda. 5.  Today: sunny with highs near 33 with wind chills as low as zero. Tonight: partly cloudy with lows around 22. Tomorrow: rain showers, snow showers and freezing rain before 1 p.m. and then rain showers …

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Supreme Court Judge Issues Temporary Stay For Fire Union Ruling

Town officials have been given a stay regarding a ruling that orders them to return firefighters to their former work schedules.

  A Supreme Court judge has granted a temporary stay to North Kingstown town officials regarding a ruling that requires them to return firefighters to their former work schedules, according to Town Manager Michael Embury. Supreme Court Judge Gilbert Indeglia has issued a stay of implementation, but only for a few days until the entire Rhode Island Supreme Court can meet and vote on the matter. In the interim, Judge Indeglia has urged town officials and the fire union (Local 1651) to work to resolve the issue. According to Town Manager Michael Embury, the town is seeking to appeal a Superior Court judge's decision on the matter. If both sides don't reach an agreement by end of day Wednesday, the entire Supreme Court will consider the issue …

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Judge Orders End to 24-Hour Shift

A Superior Court judge is ordering the town to restore firefighters' previous hours and salaries by the weekend.

  The 24-hour shift for North Kingstown's firefighters may be no more by the end of the weekend. On Monday, Superior Court Judge Brian Stern has ordered town officials to return the North Kingstown Fire Department to its previous hours and salaries by Feb. 11. In January 2012, the North Kingstown Town Council passed an ordinance mandating 24-hour shifts for the town's firefighters, increasing the work week from 42 to 56 hours, eliminating one platoon and decreasing firefighters' hourly wages. The new ordinance was implemented in March 2012 and, since then, the town and fire union (Local 1651) have been embroiled in a series of court battles. Back in December 2012, Judge Stern ordered the town to "unring the bell," stating that the council …

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Govstench

8:10 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The bigger question I have is why didn't the town go for a stay on the judge's order pending appeal? Why did the union wait so long before going back to the judge to compel the town to go back to the old hours? Now the lawyer Kinder, is sucking up more taxpayer dollars on a fishing trip of appealing this ruling. In the end, the town will lose. You can't pass an ordinance over an existing contract…   more ›

Letter: Firefighters' 24-Hour Shift Is A 'Complete Disaster'

Former Town Councilor Chuck Brennan urges residents to email the current council.

To the editor, What is going on between the Town of North Kingstown and the North Kingstown Fire Department? Relations have been bad for the last year when the Town Council forced the firefighters to work 24 hour shifts but things could have changed for the better this week. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The first thing that happened was that the Town Council took up the issue of the new fireboat again. Last year the previous council, of which I was a member, took up the issue during several meetings. The fire department obtained a homeland security grant of $830,000 to purchase a new boat. Our council voted to approve the purchase after several meetings and discussion and the boat was ordered. One person emailed the council after …

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NK_Voter

9:46 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Define "call." Is a "call" a response? And even so, what does that come out to--an average of 4.5 calls in a 24 hr period? And the FF's work 10 days a month? And how many of those where for the paramedics? The vast majority? I understand that it's a great job with benefits few dream of. I understand they want the gravy train to keep running. I can't afford their desires, however. Especially as …   more ›