Charlestown Citizens Alliance has endorsed these candidates because of their commitment to our town and their record of accomplishment. Some accomplishments include:

Keeping our taxes among the lowest in the state for both residents and businesses. Charlestown’s tax rate is $8.17 per $1,000 of assessed property value. By way of comparison, South Kingstown’s tax rate is $14.45, Hopkinton’s is $20.68, and Richmond’s is $21.88. Our candidates work to have a fair and equitable tax rate while  providing the services our residents need and to secure financial stability and to maintain an effective and cooperative partnership with the Town Administrator. Learn more …

Maintaining our strong financial rating—the highest that can be achieved by a town our size. A managed 25% budget surplus coupled with a low tax rate keeps Charlestown one of Rhode Island’s most solvent towns.

Providing well-managed, responsive, civil, and open government. Individuals who are not affiliated with any political party or interest and who represent the interests of citizens in all areas of the town, from the shore of the Atlantic Ocean to the villages along the Pawcatuck River, have been the cornerstone of our town government in recent years and have assembled an exceptionally well-qualified, professional staff.

Passing a budget that recognized the need to continue a conservative course to keep the town running well, including allowing for the uncertainties posed by this pandemic by sustaining the maximum recommended unassigned balance held in reserve for emergencies that could accompany this global event. The careful reduction of already incurred liabilities, and the additional funding to bring police pension obligations back up to a manageable level, ensures taxpayers, and subsequent councils, that they will not be faced with a “catch up” financial dilemma, that jeopardizes our enviable tax rate.

Keeping our town running smoothly during pandemic. Our town hall did not close down but was available to keep critical services moving. The police force have operated with their usual professionalism in trying times. The Building Department have been able to keep construction projects moving. Extra funding was provided for social services groups that support our residents.

Supporting the creation of the position of Information Systems Technology Manager which has resulted in online services such as land records from 1738 to present; land maps and assessor’s maps of the entire town; septic inspection data, type of system and when next inspection due; COVID-19 information and guidelines; agendas and minutes of public meetings in one place; connection for online payment of taxes; remote meetings for Town Council, Planning Commission, and Zoning Board; and more.

Stopping the federal railroad plan to bisect our town from west to east with two new high-speed tracks running through homes, farms, tribal land, wetlands, historic villages, and the Carter Preserve and other protected open space. Our candidates led the Rhode Island opposition and rallied leaders from other communities and groups to eliminate the Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass from the plans. Learn more …

Safeguarding our ground water and wetland habitats by blocking Invenergy from withdrawing water from our sole source aquifer and transporting it by tanker truck caravan to cool the turbines of their proposed power plant in northern Rhode Island. Learn more …

Making Charlestown greener by sponsoring “Solarize Charlestown.” Rooftop solar was made more affordable for many Charlestown homeowners. When the state ran out of incentives for residential solar, our candidates lobbied the state until the incentives were restored! Learn more …

Expanding recreational opportunities for all town residents through the many offerings of the Parks and Recreation Department throughout town and new facilities at Clark Memorial Field in Columbia Heights, at Wicklund Field next to the Charlestown Elementary School, and in Ninigret Park. For example, bond funds have been expended on specific improvements to recreational facilities in Ninigret Park that provide recreational opportunities for all. In addition, funds raised from fees paid by large events have funded other recreational improvements in the park; grants have funded a new generator at the community center and have helped place dark-sky-compliant outdoor lighting at the Community Center, which is a warming/cooling center; and floors have been updated at the Community Center and roads maintained throughout the park. Recreational programs in Ninigret Park, such as the town’s Camp Ninigret and programs at the Community Center, and others throughout town have been supported.

Acquiring open space for hiking trails; access to the Pawcatuck River; protection of drinking water, ponds, and other wetlands; and preservation of wildlife habitat and dark skies, all of which support our rural lifestyle and our economy. Learn more …

Improving the management of the salt ponds—one of the foundations of our economy and our tax base—through a new Harbor Management Plan; restoring marshland and beaches; and studying methods to reduce nitrates in the watershed. Runoff into Allen’s Cove, a portion of Green Hill Pond located in Charlestown, has been mitigated, and best management practices regarding runoff and soil erosion are subject to town regulations. Learn more …

Acquiring millions of dollars in state and federal grant monies for the maintenance of boating channels, salt marsh restoration, potable water quality, land acquisition, and other projects. In addition, through partnerships with other organizations and agencies, the town has been able to benefit from millions of dollars more in grants received by these groups for affordable housing and open space acquisition.

Safeguarding access to potable water. To safeguard the water quality of aquifers on which the town’s residents and businesses depend, well water is monitored to determine water quality in town. All cesspools have been removed, and under a three-year grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, Charlestown has replaced some substandard septic systems with modern denitrification systems, is developing a means of monitoring and improving the onsite performance of denitrification systems, and is implementing the Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process with the aim of reducing excessive lawn fertilization and runoff through landscaping best practices. Rain gardens are being created to contain runoff, and oiling eggs to limit growth in the population of geese is estimated to spare our salt ponds about one half million pounds of fecal contamination per year and stops thousands of pounds of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from entering the ponds. Learn more …

Protecting public health and safety.  A new police chief leads our well-managed Police Department. In addition, the Police Department is now accredited, one of the only towns in South County to earn accreditation through the state’s rigorous accreditation process. The town also has instituted policies for rescue services, and by providing CPR instruction, public access defibrillators, and protocols for first responders and area hospitals, Charlestown was designated by the RI Department of Health as one of 14 HEARTSafe RI communities. The defibrillators and training have already saved lives in Charlestown. Learn more …

Supporting the Chariho School District. Charlestown Elementary School is one of three RI schools named by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020, based on their overall academic excellence – its highest honor. Chariho is ranked third in Rhode Island and within the top one hundred school districts around the country. Learn more …

Reducing vulnerability to natural hazards and lowering insurance costs. Implementation of Charlestown’s floodplain management program and adoption of its Hazard Mitigation Plan reduces Charlestown’s vulnerability to natural hazards. As a result, Charlestown receives the highest possible ranking under the federal Community Rating System, and consequently the cost of insurance for many households is reduced. Moreover, the approved plan makes Charlestown eligible for federal hazard mitigation grants and gives funding priority to mitigation projects in Charlestown. Learn more …

Creating affordable housing. State law requires that all towns work towards achieving 10% subsidized affordable housing. Housing that is simply affordable does not count under state law, it must also be government subsidized and meet other requirements. Charlestown voters approved a $1 million bond for affordable housing in 2006. The Town, working with other agencies, has used these funds to leverage approximately $10 million in additional grants and other outside funding to build low/mod housing in Cross’ Mills dedicated to senior citizens (ChurchWoods), in Carolina (Edwards Lane), and in Shannock (Shannock Village Cottages). Going forward, Charlestown’s Housing Plan emphasizes retention of already affordable housing by converting existing units to subsidized units.

Promoting the much needed addition to the Charlestown Animal Shelter. The goal for all the stray dogs, cats and other small animals is to find them a forever home, but while they wait to be adopted they need a comfortable place to stay. Some animals need to be rehabilitated and conditioned to receiving love again before being adopted, so for some the stay needs to be a bit longer. The need is great, but Charlestown’s shelter has been doing a terrific job caring for the dogs and cats waiting to be adopted. If you have visited, you know that the kennels need a major update! The budget passed and the work on the addition has begun. Learn more …

Supporting Charlestown’s small businesses by reducing the annual fee for registering for business licenses and by revising the taxes to be paid on tangible personal business property, thereby eliminating tangible property taxes for approximately half of the 320 registered businesses in Charlestown. The town also lists on its website those landscapers who commit to the Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process and limit the use of fertilizers for lawn care, improving water quality for drinking and recreation.

Protecting Charlestown’s local businesses by denying the application of a Dollar General store that wanted to build in Cross’ Mills and making changes to the Zoning Ordinance to make it harder for Big Box stores to apply again. Learn more …

Saving money, reducing CO2 emissions, and keeping our skies dark when lighting streets. In conjunction with the Partnership of Rhode Island Streetlights Management (PRISM), Charlestown helped to launch a streetlight project that is one of the “greenest” in Rhode Island. Under the program, Charlestown purchased its streetlights from National Grid and installed dark sky-compliant LED streetlights, saving an estimated $18,000 in the cost of lighting its streets, per year, and reducing CO₂ emissions. Statewide, PRISM conserves 31,500 Metric Tons of CO2 and the equivalent of 68,000,000 car miles driven a year. Learn more …

Reducing solid waste resulting from disposal of single-use plastic bags by supplying reusable tote bags and recruiting retailers to sell them at cost. Through the “Charlestown Green Consumer Initiative,” thousands of natural fiber tote bags, with their copyrighted Town of Charlestown logo, are working to replace plastic bags. Learn more …

Supporting “Wild and Scenic” designation for the Pawcatuck River. Charlestown’s Town Council and its Planning Commission were the first in Rhode Island to officially support this national status for the river that forms the entire northern border of our town. Action by Congress that recognized the Pawcatuck River as a National Wild and Scenic River will now provide increased protection for the river and open up access to federal funding. It will also increase awareness of the recreational opportunities the river provides, supporting both the environment and tourism. Learn more …

Working to protect migratory bird habitat. The Charlestown Citizens Alliance endorsed members of the Town Council and Planning Commission have worked to protect the viability of the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge as a place for birds to rest on their increasingly challenging migrations. The refuge is permanently protected, but more intense development on nearby public land and thoughtless destruction of forests and shrubland elsewhere will chip away at the value of the refuge to those species it was created to protect. Learn more …

Creating a new Comprehensive Plan. The Charlestown Comprehensive Plan, written by the Planning Commission and Planning Department incorporates a vision for the future. It focuses on the environment, community vitality and history, infrastructure, education, social issues, public health and safety, the economy, housing and more. Learn more …

Continuing to protect the Scenic Highway status of Route 1. Route 1 possesses wonderful views and outstanding natural, historical, and cultural characteristics. Our Planning Commission worked on the original state Scenic Highway status for Route 1 and continue to advocate for building designs and screening that protect the visual characteristics of this road.

Protecting the north shore of Watchaug Pond from overuse. When it was learned there was a plan to revive camping on the north side of Watchaug Pond, our Town Council and Planning Commission members convinced the RI Department of Environmental Management of the conservation value of Burlingame’s North Camp. Learn more …

Protecting Cross’ Mills and Scenic Rt. 1 from another cell tower. Negotiated with RI EMA for a new communications tower that replaced the one at the police station, and was  built to withstand hurricane force winds and host communication for our police, ambulance rescue and emergency management rather than RI EMA’s original plan to place a new 178 foot tower at Cross Mills’ exit on Post Road. Learn more …

Positioning Charlestown to receive state and federal funds for bike path construction and pedestrian improvements when the state begins to plan any reconstruction of all or part of Post or Old Post Road. Charlestown commissioned Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) to perform a Bikeway Feasibility Study to connect Ninigret Park with the Charlestown Old Post Road business district and connect to South Kingstown at Matunuck Schoolhouse Road. Learn more …

Working to empower RIDEM to monitor and regulate fugitive dust. Fugitive dust escaping from the Bradford quarry site in Westerly compromises the health and welfare of nearby homeowners, including those in Charlestown. The town has worked with Representative Blake Filippi and Senator Dennis Algiere on efforts to regulate fugitive dust from the site.

Thanking our veterans. The town now thanks all veterans who have served honorably in the military, and the amount of the exemption was raised to $250.

Engaging the entire community in protecting our beautiful town. When faced with outside threats to our community such as the federal railroad plan, our candidates have alerted town residents through web pages, maps, videos, meetings, rallies, letter-writing campaigns, phone calls and social media. As a result citizens showed up, stood up, spoke up – confirming how much we all care for our rural, beautiful town and the people who live here. Protecting our environment, economy, and future depends on great candidates for local office, but it also depends on each of us, the citizens of Charlestown, working together.