Tom Gentz and George Tremblay’s last Town Council Meeting

November 14 marked the last Town Council meeting for Tom Gentz and George Tremblay. Both have done a tremendous job for Charlestown in their six years of town service. Tom was elected to the Town Council in 2010 and George won election to the Planning Commission that same year. In 2012 and 2014 they both ran and were elected to the Town Council.

At their last Town Council meeting on November 14, State and town officials, family members, fellow councilors, and other supporters thanked Tom and George for all that they have done and accomplished. The farewell was a surprise to Tom and George who had said they didn’t want any special recognition.

Letters were read praising Tom and George and thanking them for their extraordinary service from U.S. Senator Jack Reed, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Congressman James Langevin, State Senator Dennis Algiere, and State Representative Blake Filippi. State Senator Elaine Morgan presented citations from the Senate. There was a very warm and amusing letter about George Tremblay written by Mr. Satyajeet from India, praising George for his work to reduce single use plastic bags and replace them with reusable tote bags.

Mary Lou Gentz read a letter from Tom Gentz’s children, thanking him for his work “with reason, determination, and kindness to make Charlestown a better place.” You can read the full text of this letter below.

Sue Tremblay introduced George Tremblay’s children who spoke of how much public service has meant to George.

Ruth Platner spoke of the difference Tom and George have made. The work they have done to protect land and Charlestown’s dark skies will last forever – for all future generations. You can read the full text of those remarks below.

Geoff Marchant read a letter from the Washington County Community Development Corporation thanking Tom for his work and support of affordable housing in Charlestown and George for embracing projects when they made sense for the Town. Churchwoods, Edwards Lane, and Shannock Village Cottages wouldn’t have been possible without Tom’s work and leadership.

Jeff Broadhead, Executive Director of the Washington County Regional Planning Council spoke of PRISM Street Lights, and Tom Gentz’s work as President of that group. Tom’s work is helping not only Charlestown, but many communities across the state reduce costs for street lights, reduce light pollution, and also greatly reduce carbon emissions because of reduced energy usage. He presented a framed copy of a Providence Business News story about PRISM to Tom.

Karen Jarrett thanked Tom and George for partnering with the Charlestown Land Trust to preserve land in Charlestown and for all their other work to benefit the town.

Evelyn Smith thanked Tom and George for their work on affordable housing. George’s analysis of affordable housing helped to clarify where the real need was and allowed everyone to operate on the same page.

JoAnn Stolle thanked Tom and George for their work to stop smoking on the beaches, for their work to stop fugitive dust such as that from the Copar Quarry and their work to curtail ledge blasting.

When comments from the public ended, the Town Council had some comments of their own.

George thanked David Petrarca and Peter Ruggiero for their excellent help with legal matters and Mark Stankiewicz and all the town staff for their assistance. He thanked the other town councilors for their congeniality and the voters for granting him the privilege to serve.

Bonnie Van Slyke thanked Tom and George for their great senses of humor, their great work ethic, their tireless efforts for the common good of all citizens, their remarkable ability to understand all sides of issues and determine the best course of action. They have the best qualities that one looks for in a public servant. You can read the full text of those remarks below.

Virginia Lee thanked George for being kind, courteous, and clear, for all his work researching issues, for being a good will ambassador, for his humor, for a kind heart balanced with an acute intelligence and the “ability to be fearless for what you feel is right.” She expressed how privileged she felt to have served with Tom and presented him with a card with a goose on the front. This was a humorous reference to Tom’s work oiling goose eggs which has removed many thousands of pounds of nitrogen from the coastal ponds.

Denise Rhodes thanked Tom for showing her how to get involved and how to make a difference. Both Tom and George had shown her that there is always a way and not to give up.

Tom said he was humbled. He congratulated the new Town Council on their election and also the other newly elected state officers. He reviewed his six years, saying when he took office the Town was not civil but he had done his best to move the town forward. He said he was proud to have served with the other Town Councilors over those six years. He spoke of his favorite accomplishments, and things that still remain unaccomplished. He was proud to have hired excellent town staff and he spoke at length on those hires. He described the creation of the town employee handbook. Town hall morale was at an all time low prior to 2010 and this handbook and that process and the hiring of Chief Allen and Mark Stankiewicz did much to improve that morale. The Bradford Quarry with its massive piles of silica dust now is under state law to keep those piles watered. The formation of PRISM, of which Tom is President, has already installed 16,000 LED streetlights. Once all the streetlights are converted to LEDs, municipalities will save $12 million per year and reduce carbon dioxide by 31,000 tons per year. This is the greenest project in the state’s history and it saves taxpayers money. ChurchWoods will allow moderate income Charlestown residents to age in place in town. ChurchWoods happened in spite of lack of help and action from Rhode Island Housing. Tom also described the Potable Water Working Group, and the Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process to reduce fertilizer entering the groundwater and coastal ponds. He talked of his work with Charlie Vandemoer, Refuge Manager Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, oiling goose eggs. This has so far taken 1.6 million pounds of goose droppings out of the coastal ponds. There is still work left undone. Tom spoke of the Bradford Quarry that continues to blast and impacts citizens in Charlestown and Westerly and his hopes that Westerly will purchase the property for open space. He hopes the next Town Council can pass an extraction ordinance to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Charlestown residents. Shannock Village Cottages is unfinished and being delayed by Rhode Island Housing. We still need a conservation easement on the Charlestown Moraine Preserve. Tom thanked the Town for the privilege to serve. You can read the full text of Tom’s remarks here.

Thomas B. Gentz
Tom Gentz
GeorgeTremblay
George Tremblay

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below are some of the comments spoken at the meeting. We’ll have more of these soon. Click on a blue bar to open.