What: Financial Town Referendum
When: Monday, June 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall, 4540 South County Trail
Monday, June 2, is the annual Financial Referendum on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. The June 2 vote is on the municipal portion of the 2025/26 budget; the Chariho portion was approved earlier. Read the post for more detailed explanation.
The RI Coastal Resources Management Council has denied the Town Council’s request to resurface Charlestown Beach Road along the coastal barrier with asphalt millings. After many years of fighting for different kinds of pavement for this section of the road, some members of the Town Council have finally relented to follow the advice the town has been consistently given by coastal geologists since at least 2013.
When: Tuesday, May 27 at 7 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
What: A public hearing to discuss this question and the Zoning Ordinance amendments proposed, which, if adopted, would revoke the town’s Capital Facilities Impact Fees Ordinance.
What: Budget Public Hearing
When: Monday, May 5 at 7 p.m
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
Municipal spending exceeds the amount of money the town will raise in tax revenue and still maintain a stable, low tax rate long term. The Budget Commission noted that expenditures continue to trend upward while revenues are increasing much slower.
The Town Council sent a letter to our legislative delegation requesting authority to draft an ordinance to enact a homestead exemption. A homestead exemption allows one group of taxpayers to receive an exemption, while another group of taxpayers are required to pay the difference.
At the April, 28 meeting, when asked what the meeting was about, Councilor Carney stated that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss “a Second Amendment resolution in support of Second Amendment rights.” It’s unknown why this information wasn’t included in the last two agendas along with the meeting announcement.
You Can Take Action To Clean Up Litter And Plastic Waste By Supporting the 2025 Rhode Island Bottle Bills!
This year Rhode Island has two proposed bottle bills. Sign a letter to your state legislators today! Tell them to support H6207 and H6206 to fight litter and waste! Links to bills and to an easy to use form to write to legislators.
Record-breaking rain at the end of March 2010 caused water to spill over flood plains. The Pawcatuck River rose and Shannock Falls impressed all those who ventured out to see and hear the pounding water. Some pumped out flooded basements, others had more devastating losses. We all learned lessons in wetland protection and storm water management. After the rains ended we received photographs from 12 different photographers and posted those at our website for all to remember what rain can do.
When: Monday, March 31 at 6 PM
Where: Charlestown Town Hall on Route 2 (4540 South County Trail)
What: Special Town Council meeting to review, discuss, and take potential action regarding the 2025–2026 municipal budget recommended by the Budget Commission.
What: 401Gives Statewide Day of Giving
When: April 1, 2025 (4-01!)
Why: 401Gives brings people together to make a difference for local nonprofits that protect our beautiful community that is so rich in natural resources. 401Gives unites and offers everyone a safe, comfortable, and familiar virtual fundraising experience, all while giving nonprofits unrestricted funds that strengthen our community.
When: Saturday, April 19
Who: You and your family and friends
Where: Pick any road you like in Charlestown to pick up roadside litter
What: The town is providing the blue bags starting April 11, and the transfer station and fire stations will accept them without charge on April 19 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you don’t regularly check your Promotions tab, or would prefer the CCA email to arrive in your primary inbox, there are two different ways you can teach Gmail to put CCA email in your Primary tab.
There are great health benefits, for body and soul, when connecting with nature, and winter is one of the most beautiful times to hike in Charlestown. We are so lucky to live in Charlestown, where we have access to the Pawcatuck River, ponds, parks and public open space located throughout our town.
We live in a beautiful community, rich in natural resources. Giving your friends and family gift memberships in local environmental organizations, or making year-end gifts directly to these organizations, can help to preserve and protect our local environment. In the post are ideas for holiday gifts that can make a positive difference in our local environment.
The holidays are rich in good food and drink. We shouldn’t forget to thank the farmers who make it all possible nor forget those who sadly experience hunger this time of year.
Education is central to a strong community. We offer these gift giving ideas to build and broaden educational opportunities in Charlestown.
During the summer of 2016, the Charlestown Town Council began to distribute reusable tote bags in an effort to reduce single-use plastic waste. The bags have proven hugely popular and would make a great gift. They can be purchased at Town Hall.
Amendments proposed by the Affordable Housing Commission would encourage the seasonal use of Accessory Dwelling Units, make it harder for tenants to find year-round housing, make the units less affordable, and increase impacts in coastal pond neighborhoods where nitrogen levels in groundwater are already too high.
Four out of ten of the local candidates that CCA endorsed and supported in the November 5 election were elected, and we are grateful to the voters. However none of our five Town Council candidates were elected. As a result, we will have to continue to engage the public to encourage Charlestown’s government to protect our environment and economy.
After 8 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, November 5, the RI Board of elections will begin to report election results for Charlestown and all of Rhode Island. You can get to the Charlestown results by clicking on the link in this post.
As we move forward to perhaps: create a youth center, or best preserve and enjoy Ninigret Park, or ensure adequate and safe drinking water, etc…the most important factor is that we are all heard and are allowed to work together. Change in the current Town Council and support of Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) is the change we need to strengthen and yet, preserve our community.
The Charlestown Citizens Alliance endorsed candidates represent all of Charlestown not just the interests of those in a few particular areas. Each of these candidates represents all of the town, but they also live all over our town. The Charlestown Citizens Alliance endorsed candidates represent the whole town, from border to border and everywhere in between.
Monday, November 4 is the last day of Early Voting at Town Hall. Any Charlestown voter can vote at Town Hall anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 4. If you want to vote on Election Day, November 5, you must vote at your Official Polling Place. The state prints different ballots for each precinct in Charlestown. Sample ballots for each precinct in this post.
The 2021 Charlestown Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map designates the town-owned properties on Niantic Highway and Ross Hill Road and the former Kenyon Dye property between Rt 2 and RT112 as Open Space/Conservation. At the October 28 Town Council meeting, the Council voted to proceed with a plan to try to develop these for affordable housing by determining where housing could be built. If the properties are developed, the Comprehensive Plan will have to be changed to designate them for residential development.
The current Town Council majority continues to say that there is no plan to spend $39.5 Million on Ninigret Park. But there is a plan to develop the park that will cost nearly $40 million. The scale of the plan and the substantial cost are connected. You can read the detailed cost estimates in this post.
When: Tuesday, October 29 at 7 pm
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
What: Town Council special meeting to discuss and possibly adopt the new 2024 Master Plan for Ninigret Park
The Town Council will discuss the 2024 Ninigret Park Master Plan that its consultant, VHB, developed in accordance with the directions given to the company by the Town Council. The $39.5 million cost estimates that were handed out at the April 15 meeting are included in this post.
The only “interest” that the Alliance has is to protect Charlestown’s natural resources and low tax rate, to promote honest and transparent government, and to prevent unregulated development. Charlestown is indeed a very special place and it deserves our special interest.
Wednesday, October 16 is the first day of Early Voting at Town Hall. Early voting will take place at Town Hall, anytime between 8:30 am to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, from October 16 to November 4. The state prints different ballots for each precinct in Charlestown. Sample ballots for each precinct in this post.
Charlestown deserves a government that will protect our quality of life, our low tax rate, and our beautiful environment. To accomplish this, Charlestown Town Council candidates Sarah Fletcher, Angela Jalbert, Peter Keating, Ruth Platner, and Bonnie Van Slyke offer these commitments:
When you fill in your mail ballot from now until November or enter the voting booth from October 16 to November 5, please vote for the candidates in this post, highlighted in blue. From the shore of the Block Island Sound to the villages along the Pawcatuck River they will protect our quality of life, our low tax rate, and our beautiful environment.
