Public Hearing On Lease Of Elementary School Land To Chariho
When: Tuesday, July 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Elementary School, 363 Carolina Back Rd, Charlestown
What: To discuss the proposed ballot question in advance of the August 4 Special Referendum
The Chariho School Committee is proposing one unified Chariho Elementary School for the Stage II Application to the Rhode Island Department of Education regarding the five-year Capital Improvement plan.
Many locations for the new school have been explored, and the location currently under consideration is property owned by the town of Charlestown that contains the Charlestown Elementary School.
The Chariho Regional School District has approached the Charlestown Town Council with a proposal whereby the town of Charlestown would lease the property to the Chariho Regional School District and the Chariho Regional School District would demolish the existing Charlestown Elementary School building and construct, finance, and operate a new elementary school on the single campus to serve the towns of Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton. As currently designed, there would be two buildings: the smaller building would house students in Pre-kindergarten through Grade one and a second, larger building, would house students in Grade two through Grade five.
According to Charlestown’s Home Rule Charter, Charlestown’s voters would need to approve the long-term lease of the property and the demolition of the school in order for the plan to go forward.
The proposal will be presented and discussed at a Public Hearing on Tuesday, July 7, at 7:00 pm at the Charlestown Elementary School.
On August 4, there will be an all-day referendum at the Charlestown Town Hall on the following ballot question:
“… shall the Town Council of the Town of Charlestown be authorized to act by resolution or ordinance to enter into a long‑term ground lease with the Chariho Regional School District for the construction, financing, and operation of an elementary school serving the Towns of Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton consisting of one or more buildings on a single campus on the site of the former Charlestown Elementary School, with the Chariho Regional School District responsible for demolishing the existing Charlestown Elementary School building and enter into a license agreement with the Chariho Regional School District for school use of Wicklund Field, a Town‑owned recreation area acquired or improved with Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants, while the Town retains ownership and Wicklund Field remains dedicated to public outdoor recreation in compliance with LWCF requirements and in connection therewith, authorize the Town Council to adopt an ordinance providing for such ground lease and license arrangements?”
Approval of this question will:
- Authorize the Town Council to enter a long‑term ground lease under which the Chariho Regional School District will demolish the existing Charlestown Elementary School building and construct, finance, and operate a new elementary consisting of one or more buildings on a single campus school serving the Towns of Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton on that site;
- Authorize the Town Council to enter into a license agreement allowing the Chariho Regional School District to use Wicklund Field for school programs, while the Town keeps ownership and Wicklund Field continues to function as public outdoor recreation consistent with LWCF rules; and
- Authorize the Town Council to adopt any ordinance necessary to provide for and implement the ground lease and Wicklund Field license arrangement described above.
The August 4 referendum is only about agreements and leases with Chariho. Approval of the August referendum is not an approval of the bond for school construction, that vote will take place in November.
Image on the left shows the site in Carolina containing the current Charlestown Elementary School. Note, Wicklund Field is shown to the south.
Image on the right shows the plan for the new elementary school consisting of two buildings on the single campus, including Wicklund Field.
Links to more information: