CCA Blog and Mail Box

Below you will find an archive of CCA blog posts. The comments from readers and some blog posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the CCA Steering Committee. Sign up to receive these blog posts by e-mail.

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President Trump Signs Wild And Scenic Rivers Legislation Into Law!

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Wild And Scenic Rivers Legislation Is Now Law
President Trump today signed the Natural Resources Management Act which in part designates the rivers of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed as National Wild and Scenic Rivers. This will provide federal protection to our rivers and allow for federal funding for projects that protect and promote the rivers. The Pawcatuck River forms the northern border of Charlestown.

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Update On Zoning Ordinance Changes Affecting Department Stores And General Stores

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The Town Council voted unanimously on February 11 to approve the Zoning Ordinance changes proposed by the Planning Commission that will make Charlestown less attractive to Box Stores. The Town Solicitor explained at the meeting that the Town cannot legally prohibit corporate chain and franchise stores or apply regulations differently to local applicants. The strategy taken by the Planning Commission is one that treats all applicants equally and will be able to withstand court challenges.

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Charlestown Town Council Appreciation of George Tremblay

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“Thank you, George, for being willing to step into an unexpected vacancy to make a complete five member Town Council so that we could effectively govern the Town of Charlestown for 2018. As the voter’s choice and Vice President of the prior Town Council, you had the unique ability to have the confidence of the citizens of the Town and to fully participate immediately with the work of the Town Council in a seamless transition. Your wisdom, humor, articulate communication and thoughtfulness were a valuable contribution to our deliberations and decisions.”

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Charlestown Town Council Appreciation of Denise Rhodes

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“Thank you Denise for your dedication to protecting the environment and public health of all the citizens of Charlestown. We thank you for your insight about how easily change can come to our beautiful community when we don’t have local control. Your integrity, compassion, courage and careful weighing of all the facts in your work on the Town Council are greatly appreciated.”

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Carla and Russ Ricci: Lee, Carroccia, Van Slyke and Platner Protected Amos Green Farm

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All of these events were possible because the citizens of Charlestown rose up in the winter of 2016 to fight off the RR proposal and they were led by Lee, Carroccia,Van Slyke and Platner. As we go to vote this week, I hope we all congratulate ourselves for fighting for what we love about Charlestown and say thank you as we vote.

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Setting The Record Straight

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The Charlestown Citizens Alliance was created over a decade ago to foster exactly this type of “good government” and civil discourse, as Charlestown voters joined together to reject the political attacks that now sadly characterize national politics. The result is that Charlestown has among the lowest taxes in the state, while providing proven leadership to protect our town against expected and sometimes unexpected threats.

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Kim Coulter: CRU Candidates Sat Out Fight Against Railroad

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I will vote for candidates based on their character, and what they can offer our town, in keeping with its rural character and charm. I will vote for Charlestown Citizens Alliance-endorsed candidates Virginia Lee, Julie Carroccia and Bonnie Van Slyke, who worked to defeat the train for all Charlestown residents, and who saved my home, as well as our community.

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Cliff Vanover: Elections Should Be About Issues And Qualifications, Not False Attacks

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CCA receives 100% of its funding from Charlestown property owners, nearly three quarters of donations are from year round residents and the rest from seasonal residents. Seasonal residents contribute to CCA for the same reason full time residents do, because they want Charlestown to remain a beautiful community with taxes they can afford.

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Frances Topping: Keep Charlestown’s Unique Character

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If you like Charlestown as it is, continue supporting a council that has worked to maintain that character; the low taxes but quality education, open space that preserves our resources and provides habitat and recreation, that believes in listening to people as evidenced by their going door-to door to get individuals’ views of as many residents as they can and asking their concerns, and being civil and responsible.

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Mark Hinkley: CCA Has Tamed Town’s Political Circus

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While the news and television advertisements are focused on our national and state elections, I find that my quality of daily life in Charlestown is most affected by the type of candidates elected to local office. Fortunately, the Charlestown Town Council circus that once made Charlestown the political laughing stock of the state has dramatically changed for the better.

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Ronald Areglado: Old Wine in New Bottles

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These are but two glaring examples that compelled Charlestown voters to oust them and strongly contributed to CCA’s success at the ballot box, which has resulted in exemplary leadership over the past eight years. Now, vestiges of that same group have the gumption to make their primary position in this year’s election, “Bring back open and transparent government.” I trust that Charlestown voters will not be fooled again. It’s simply a matter of “old wine in new bottles.”

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Ruth Platner: We Stopped The Train In Its Tracks

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Our Town Council went into immediate action alerting residents and lobbying state and federal officials. Through thousands of hours of combined effort they gained the support of over 100 international, national, state, and municipal organizations and thousands of residents statewide. Together we succeeded in removing the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” from the plan and the coalition the Council formed with those other organizations has put us in a much stronger position going forward.

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Denise Rhodes: Veterans, Charlestown Appreciates Your Service

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The staff at Town Hall and our town solicitor have been diligently working to implement the numerous updates to ensure each eligible Charlestown veteran receives an equitable and accurate tax credit adjustment to their property taxes. Because the legislation was passed in late June and the tax credits also need to be funded, the earliest the adjustment can occur is fiscal year 2019.

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Julie Carroccia

Julie Carroccia For Charlestown Town Council

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Vice President of the Town Council, Julie retired from a senior management position at Bank of America and is an expert in risk assessment and business lending. As Ex Officio member of the Budget Commission, she is instrumental in maintaining our property tax rate among the lowest in the state and our excellent credit rating. She was a leader in stopping the Federal Railroad Administration’s “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” and spearheaded Solarize Charlestown to promote rooftop solar. Julie is committed to Charlestown’s environment and rural character. Julie has a BA in English and studied Law.

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Leo Mainelli: CCA-endorsed candidates for 2018 are proven leaders

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CCA-endorsed candidates for 2018 are proven leaders whose education, experience, and integrity have prepared them to best represent you in town government. These independent candidates are not affiliated with any political party. What they share in common is a dedication to civil and open government and a passion for preserving and protecting those assets that make Charlestown such a unique and treasured place to live.

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Photo of Milky Way over Frosty Drew Observatory by Scott MacNeill

Frosty Drew In So Rhode Island Magazine

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Great article in So Rhode Island magazine about Charlestown’s dark skies. “Frosty Drew sits in a wide-open park, surrounded by protected federal lands with nothing beyond but the big, wide Atlantic Ocean. What this means for stargazers is the right kind of darkness, a field of stars relatively unmarred by man-made light. You can even get a look at the Andromeda Galaxy – which will be in prime viewing over Rhode Island in October”

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Tom Gentz: “Thank you CCA for good judgment, sound values, a low tax rate, and for protecting the rural character of Charlestown”

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Whether on the Charlestown Town Council, Planning and School committees, or as Town Moderator, CCA-endorsed officials have formulated policies consistent with our rural character and have brought respectful discussion to those debates in which they themselves disagreed. They have not always voted in unison, and the CCA Steering Committee has always supported worthy candidates without a litmus test for specific positions.

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Photo of the Pawcatuck River in the Sprague Preserve

RI Congressional Delegation Introduces Bill to Protect Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed

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On October 2nd, on the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act – created by Congress to preserve rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations – U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and David Cicilline (D-RI) announced the introduction of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Wild and Scenic River Act (S. 3533 and H.R. 6950).

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Bonnie Van Slyke’s Comments At Grand Opening Of The Patricia Sprague Forest Preserve

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The Preserve joins other protected land that contains a diversity of natural resources featuring the area’s dramatic geological history and many unique ecological communities. Besides protecting groundwater and wildlife habitat, these natural areas, and the Preserve, provide some of the best hiking, hunting, fishing, swimming and boating opportunities in Rhode Island. The deep green forest and cool blue water of the Pawcatuck River have been described by the Chair of the Planning Commission as Charlestown’s emerald and sapphire crown, and indeed this Preserve is one of the jewels in that crown.

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Charlestown Partners With Nature Conservancy On Preserve Expansion

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At the August 14 Town Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously to partner with the Rhode Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to protect a 55 acre parcel of land that is contiguous with TNC’s Pasquiset Preserve on Old Coach Road. The new parcel is also contiguous with cluster subdivision open space and Pasquiset Preserve is contiguous with Charlestown’s South Farm Preserve.

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On July 25 the Charlestown Planning Commission Denied Dollar General Application

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This post is to update those who may not have seen the recent local newspaper article about the Planning Commission’s decision at its July 25 meeting.

On July 25 the Charlestown Planning Commission did not approve the applicant’s Master Plan for a 7,500-square-foot Dollar Store proposed for Cross’ Mills. The vote to deny was unanimous.

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Proposed Communications Tower Diminishes Beauty Of Our Landscape

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George Tremblay: “Communications towers are not admired as works of art, but they are a necessity in protecting the public welfare. Several already exist in the area, and it has not been made evident why new hardware attached to one of the existing towers could not satisfy the need for public safety. Erection of new towers calls for the utmost discretion if we are to preserve the beauty of our landscape.”

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Dollar General on June 27 Planning Commission agenda

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What: Continuation of the Dollar General hearing before the Planning Commission
When: Wednesday, June 27th at 7pm
Where: Charlestown Elementary School
At this meeting the Planning Commission will decide whether or not to approve the applicant’s Master Plan. The Dollar General store is proposed in Charlestown’s Traditional Village District, which is also in the Historic Village Overlay District.

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