[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6113326,"mediaKeyId","2745195-73336694724a22933ab0bb0b770e7478","parentId",2745195,"title","North Kingstown delegation meeting spotlights special education, early intervention and local school needs","audioSeconds",513,"startMs",227000,"endMs",740000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2745195-73336694724a22933ab0bb0b770e7478&start=227&end=740","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2745195-73336694724a22933ab0bb0b770e7478/thumbnail_227000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6113326/Rhode-Island/North-Kingstown-delegation-meeting-spotlights-special-education-early-intervention-and-local-school-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6113326-1fa8e9f32a6377a95322f6f90460dee9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136683&Signature=FAyJN97Pz1zhs9Aih9byGBGpnLvS8-DLMKLTSALnRmdCaUCHQj4NAp7nShX7Yvn7t~Q0mRpXYaRN~kf3uu0ZzcfnxpL~lqHUifpY4~MAnaIAq1Wa407Tho3p1iHQ0uyTePGDh0HXE~nqQaiiLIz~ODcqqsxv9lRYJtqGZtykd~dXvVH9kv3dszWJOaTKdO7DAWc~bzC7wLn8OFImatrKYtGvoPlXkS5SZO~iLByXPRGo~2UkWgAEoLaRy-fUDojW2kIPYabUAXkiXCynqL-sx1gfuPSLggND1sldBdAWcdoEIOg6-7xIMUGLQlDekHPVSLPxOk6Je2o7B6K0BbppGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Kingstown, RI","date","2025-01-13T00:00:00Z","article","State legislators, the town council and the school committee met in North Kingstown to review local legislative priorities centered on education funding, special education and early intervention services.

Representative Julie Casanero, state senators and local school officials said the town’s top concerns include the rising costs of special‑education services, growing early‑intervention demand among pre‑K children, and workforce shortages for teaching assistants, bus drivers and education support professionals.

During the session Dr. Aaron Rowe and school committee members described growing numbers of preschool‑age children requiring intervention services and said the district is adding classrooms and staff. “The needs are growing a lot,” a school committee member said, noting the district is adding interventionists and limiting enrollment in other pre‑K programs as a result.

Senators and representatives described recent state actions and possible legislation. A senator said the General Assembly had increased funding for early intervention in recent years and that proposals are being explored to allow some children who turn 3 to remain in early intervention programs rather than make an abrupt transition to preschool special‑education services. Legislators also described workforce training proposals for early‑childhood mental‑wellness professionals and said grant funding is being sought for training cohorts.

On the broader state budget, one member of the delegation said current revenue projections show roughly a $320 million shortfall statewide (down from an earlier estimate above $400 million) and that, based on current legislative discussions, tax increases appear off the table so the state likely will rely on spending cuts to balance the budget. Legislators at the meeting said they did not expect cuts to local school aid at present but urged continued attention to the issue.

Local participants asked the delegation to carry several proposals to the General Assembly, including a resolution or bill to adjust tax‑exemption rules, a measure to allow immediate termination for specified cases of gross misconduct in school employment, and renewed support for statewide composting funding and additional CTE workforce partnerships. Representative Casanero said she was working on a high‑school cell‑phone policy bill, and the school committee said it has been implementing state bills on foster‑care transitions, composting and career‑technical education.

The delegation and the district also discussed funding mechanisms used for early intervention, including private insurance and Medicaid, and noted that expanding eligible services under Medicaid could provide additional federal match dollars.

No formal vote was taken at the meeting to adopt local legislation; town leaders said they will forward the council and school committee priority list to the delegation and work with staff and local advocates on drafting specific bill language and data to support the proposals.

The delegation asked the district to provide additional data and testimony as legislation is drafted. School officials offered to supply district data, teacher testimonials and other local evidence to support amendments or funding requests.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","North Kingstown Town Council January 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","State legislators, the town council and the school committee met in North Kingstown to review local legislative priorities centered on education funding, special education and early intervention services.","taxTitle","North Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island","taxId",79577,"location","Rhode Island","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6113331,"North Kingstown hearing draws large turnout as council revisits long‑planned Wickford mini roundabout",542,2181000,2723000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2745195-73336694724a22933ab0bb0b770e7478&start=2181&end=2723","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2745195-73336694724a22933ab0bb0b770e7478/thumbnail_2181000.jpg","/articles/6113331/Rhode-Island/North-Kingstown-hearing-draws-large-turnout-as-council-revisits-longplanned-Wickford-mini-roundabout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6113331-149be36bb22a98638eb45e39faf8ce51/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136683&Signature=Y1-NUuGQ4W-S6V0w3XWmAycUfBoobMBcA14LPWHe~A0-XVvVnOsjgUYay58kGTBJEjnAQPH3XpMK1Lzm4gseteeVp86-fQcDUxqRiPcRzVYBpjrPHjVrBG55sMwY7zUQO~NePHgcLgYb7xWStwifwKRygkHdaYIdZRajhEfyl8Bpd59fMAvJcfidBDg4CgsS8sE2HzLOasvrC-dThXrhOeau2iVoZ0iTzlNTqEOEtJXWh36TyahoW5vFqyetMJOHeUMl7UKjIozIuhPOAYHvhgxQtNh1myJbzdIIRHXBep6JKB3tKgBDFwgSHKa37wA1QtqqngmptUG~V~K1kaLtBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town Council and town manager reviewed the history and engineering behind a proposed mini roundabout for the Wickford Village intersection of Brown, Phillips and Boston Neck roads and opened the floor to an extended public comment period.

Town Manager (name not specified) told the council the plan was developed with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, local public‑safety officials and business and neighborhood stakeholders in 2020–21 and that RIDOT invested about $209,000 to prepare designs and engineering for a small, mountable center island. He said the Federal Highway Administration considers roundabouts a proven safety countermeasure and that state and local traffic studies showed a mini roundabout would shorten pedestrian crossings (to roughly 20 feet at the main approaches) and reduce vehicle speeds compared with the existing intersection.

The discussion mattered because Wickford Village is a high‑pedestrian area and the intersection has an unusual right‑of‑way pattern that has caused confusion, the manager told the council.

Supporters in the meeting pointed to the engineering record and to local safety testimony. “This proposal has none of that. It’s more like a dot in the middle of the street,” said George Brennan, a resident who served on the local advisory committee and who described the mini roundabout as a small, mountable design that accommodates trucks and emergency vehicles. Several business owners and the Wickford Village Association said they had previously reviewed and endorsed the mini roundabout.

Opponents warned of unintended consequences for pedestrians and village businesses during construction. Kim Greenberg, who lives and works near the intersection, said she has seen “near‑miss” incidents there and urged immediate, interim measures — clearer signage, cameras or enforcement — while the proposal proceeds. Other speakers said the village’s commercial mix has changed since the initial 2020–21 public process and urged more current, to‑scale visualizations showing how the mini roundabout will look and function.

Council members pressed for clarity on a handful of topics raised in public comment: whether pedestrian‑activated beacons would be allowed (RIDOT and FHWA guidance cited by staff says those devices are restricted on state highways), how long construction would last (town staff told the council RIDOT estimates 6–8 weeks) and what signage and outreach RIDOT and the town will provide before and during construction. Several speakers asked the town to seek construction‑period measures to help village businesses and to time work to reduce peak disruption.

No formal vote to accept, reject or alter RIDOT’s plan was taken. Council President Gregory Mancini said the council’s role was to hear public comment and that the town manager would reply to RIDOT’s recent letter unless the council directed otherwise. The manager said he plans to follow up with RIDOT and to post the full presentation and design materials on the town website for people who asked for larger, to‑scale visualizations.

The meeting included a roll call of public speakers: by the council’s count that night 31 people spoke in favor and 8 opposed; the manager later reported written correspondence and additional contacts that brought the meeting’s cumulative tally to 47 in favor and 29 opposed.

The council did not adopt or block the project at the meeting; the record will remain open to formal RIDOT processes. Town staff said they will present more detailed construction timing, signage plans and pedestrian crossing details in future sessions and will continue coordination with public safety and business stakeholders.

A copy of RIDOT’s schematics and the town manager’s PowerPoint were promised online after the meeting for residents who asked for scaled visualizations and study citations.","The Town Council and town manager reviewed the history and engineering behind a proposed mini roundabout for the Wickford Village intersection of Brown, Phillips and Boston Neck roads and opened the floor to an extended public comment period.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6113321,"Votes at a glance: North Kingstown council actions and procedural items",149,1429000,1578000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2745195-73336694724a22933ab0bb0b770e7478&start=1429&end=1578","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2745195-73336694724a22933ab0bb0b770e7478/thumbnail_1429000.jpg","/articles/6113321/Rhode-Island/Votes-at-a-glance-North-Kingstown-council-actions-and-procedural-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6113321-9115beaac9d9efcd771548c19ab11281/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136683&Signature=n1EeQG-fxrj7tUWIlwHr~KzpD3EytzwnEsVoeesx5uqfAsnoPiWL0QoYxJgPG1pBakE~GWDAAjcmjG5bACI~aVRPrcAqiRNDm9ILCAOvCq7c~QGXd8NeT35Ifw0JICXvfnrrAp6aSK4zLWoNwqxENiERnvf9GuB1sHZm~AtJtUiTe8TuyPtqh3k3WCA9s6sDdERavzI2~luYwY83yRN4S4AL6WsQsyXiD~6nHbzAanmqodsv4kRJ7QuCNVOo-e6avvRvvwpMKQUbvDYjC8HxpxyLEY6nCHYeMe1Q0a~a57bd9z-udOv9sXdMo3lfzA6fhPU~bqtHmusQBCTi9iWUmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its meeting the North Kingstown Town Council completed a series of routine and non‑routine actions. The items below summarize motions, movers/seconds where recorded, and outcomes announced in the meeting record.

Votes at a glance

- Liquor license transfer for Sweet Marie’s Tea Cottage (Class C) from 25 West Main to 7 Main: motion to open public hearing and subsequent motion to approve the license transfer were both moved and seconded; council vote: approved (recorded as “ayes have it”).

- Traffic control amendments (stop signs): council opened and closed a public hearing on proposed stop signs at three local intersections (Bayberry Drive westbound at Congdon Avenue; Peachtree Road eastbound at Brookhaven Road; Westeria Court westbound at Morning Drive). Motion to adopt the ordinance amendments to add stop signs: moved and seconded; council vote: approved (recorded as “ayes have it”).

- Consent agenda: motion to approve items 9, 10, 11 and 14–18 passed by voice vote after the council removed items 8 and 13 for discussion. Item 8 (minutes clarification regarding a senior tax freeze question) was continued for revision; item 12 proceeded with Councilor McCoy recused and passed; item 13 (a bid with a contingency) was discussed and approved after staff explained contingency reasoning.

- Bid/contract item (agenda item 13): motion to approve the recommended bidder and contract with a 15% contingency was approved (mover/second recorded in meeting). Staff explained the contingency covers possible attic insulation methods and other identified unknowns.

- Resolution honoring Major General Christopher P. Callahan on his retirement as Adjutant General of Rhode Island: motion to approve passed unanimously.

- Naming of park space adjacent to Lewisville parking lot (“Anchor Park”): council scheduled a public hearing for March 10, 2025, as required by town policy to consider a formal naming request (motion carried).

Procedural notes

- Several hearings were opened and closed by motion and voice vote; recorded minutes show “ayes have it” with no roll‑call tallies given in the verbal record.

- The council’s meeting packet and manager’s report included other administrative updates (Allen Harbor dredging completion, municipal parking lot work, and fiscal year audit timing) but these were informational and did not require separate council votes.

Where recorded vote tallies were not read aloud, the meeting minutes will provide the official record; the council announced outcomes on each motion at the meeting and staff will file formal minutes and documents with the town clerk.","At its meeting the North Kingstown Town Council completed a series of routine and non‑routine actions, including a liquor license transfer, stop‑sign ordinance amendments and the scheduling of a public hearing on naming a town park area.","actionData","errors"]

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North Kingstown delegation meeting spotlights special education, early intervention and local school needs

North Kingstown hearing draws large turnout as council revisits long‑planned Wickford mini roundabout

Votes at a glance: North Kingstown council actions and procedural items