CCA is pleased to endorse Bonnie Van Slyke for the 2025 special Town Council election. Bonnie served from 2014 through 2022 on the Town Council and has the proven skills and dedication to do what’s right for the town, our environment, and Charlestown’s taxpayers. Bonnie’s experience on the Town Council will allow her to hit the ground running if elected in December.
When: Tuesday, September 30 at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
What: A Town Council workshop to discuss options for implementation of a Homestead Tax Exemption for Charlestown
For the workshop, Ken Swain, the town’s Tax Assessor, has prepared materials showing what the resulting tax rate will be and the impact on tax bills for different kinds of property.
When re-elected to the Town Council, Bonnie will hit the ground running to stand up for the best interests of our town, and she will bring a much-needed balance to the Town Council where everyone is now part of the same political group. Bonnie is committed to accountable and ethical leadership, sound fiscal management, local control over land use, wise stewardship of our natural resources, and positive educational leadership.
“Nights are dark enough to see the Milky Way overhead, beaches are unspoiled, and the local seafood spots like to keep things unfussy but delicious. Life here just seems to run a little slower,” reports Travel + Leisure.
When: Tuesday December 2, 2025
What: Special Town Council Election
Because Town Councilor Richard “Rippy” Serra’s passing on August 7 created a vacancy on the Town Council more than one year prior to the 2026 election, the Town’s Charter requires a special election rather than an appointment.
When: Saturday, September 13 from 10 am to 4 pm (rain date September 20)
Where: Ninigret Park in Charlestown
This is the 2nd year for the Ninigret Arts and Crafts show and Frances Topping will again have a booth with many of her watercolor works, including some matted pieces, botanical art, landscapes and varied nature subjects. In addition to Frances’ art work, there will be woodworkers, potters, jewelers, quilters, crochete and macrame crafters and much more. There are about 50 exhibitors in total.
A majority of the Charlestown Town Council is considering using money designated by voters in 2015 for one thing—preservation of open space—for something else. And it makes no sense that it would be OK for the Town Council to issue a bond in order to be able to spend the money again—effectively spending the money authorized twice.
Many citizens learned more about the repair of the Charlestown Breachway and how the Breachway is faring over the summer at a meeting hosted by the Salt Ponds Coalition at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Kettle Pond Visitor Center in Charlestown on August 7. Meeting details in this post.
The Westerly Sun and various social media accounts have sadly reported that Richard “Rippy” Serra died in his sleep on the night of August 7. Mr. Serra currently served as the Vice-President of the Charlestown Town Council and had been elected to the Town Council since 2022.
The Charlestown Town Council has approved its $39.5-million plan for the development of Ninigret Park. The “Ninigret Park Utilization Plan Update 2025” is a long-term strategy or blueprint and will serve as a guide for decision-making and future development, according to a statement by the Town Council at the front of the plan document. With the adoption of the Utilization Plan, the Town Council is now turning its attention to its implementation.
Savings, which are accumulated over a long time, can be held in reserve for a number of reasons, but one of the most important is that these savings are held to pay for unexpected expenditures resulting from calamitous events, such as hurricanes, floods, and economic recessions, and to cover yearly operations. Should they have been reduced or diverted to other uses?
The Town Council repealed the ordinance in its entirety on May 27. Going forward, Charlestown will not charge developers impact fees for new development at a time when a new state law allows developers to force ten times the number of houses allowed by Charlestown’s zoning into new developments. At the meeting, as part of a very lively debate about the issues, Councilors Steve Stokes and Rippy Serra expressed that they are in favor of bringing back impact fees in the future.
Only 160 People Voted – Thank You To Everyone Who Did Vote!
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.
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.
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.
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.
