[{"_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",6113393,"mediaKeyId","2745166-f5211058b4f8165701e43d974c509e74","parentId",2745166,"title","Town Council approves municipal aggregation plan; Good Energy to lead outreach before launch","audioSeconds",1632,"startMs",4053000,"endMs",5685000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2745166-f5211058b4f8165701e43d974c509e74&start=4053&end=5685","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2745166-f5211058b4f8165701e43d974c509e74/thumbnail_4053000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6113393/Rhode-Island/Town-Council-approves-municipal-aggregation-plan-Good-Energy-to-lead-outreach-before-launch","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6113393-fcf5e2ed4b006eb8fdd9df75a1190094/orig.mp4?Expires=1771042332&Signature=aRZ4-p6Bl4v0I444XO7LP2A2Jtp9ADme7pD3iQSoGlfcCA~ojJdpXOhxxHdjI0kiLHPY-q8QVfDp5GINas9lGr0uAAB9CpaKTA6S4mI1idCxeuxFmGfGvjJbY4qFQOGch7q68VxvHMT0CLmd3K-aBvCZ~w5BJ13F95tfZ6qIDUePt~74g5EhtwBJSmePZr1pj0gbYVVZJHj37H6tr6~UzEV5C1E38nJw34nMO4HdOOCo5Lizl2PCa9Mfd8h5~~qMZD7Wt64YvfyhpIklz1nhk97G4TIi~clUfGTpvD2XaKSCIlGuZ1-K9Fw2vWbrdwun4zeV9Hxvq3opIKfO9vN6kQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Kingstown, RI","date","2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","article","The Town Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution to join a municipal electricity aggregation overseen by Good Energy and to participate with a group of seven other Rhode Island municipalities.

Dawn Oyer of Good Energy said the town's plan has been approved by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission and outlined next steps: an education and outreach campaign beginning in April, a mailed notice to every eligible customer with prices and a prepaid postcard to opt out, and a launch of supplier pricing anticipated in June.

\"That letter would go out to every eligible customer in North Kingstown. It would include all of the details of the program, including all of the pricing,\" Good Energy's Rachel (representative) said, describing the opt‑out notice and the postcard used by customers to decline enrollment.

Good Energy and the supplier NextEra Energy Services presented a three‑tier approach: a default product that includes additional renewable energy but is intended to be cost‑competitive with Rhode Island Energy; a lower‑renewables product closer to the utility minimum; and an optional higher‑renewables product for customers who prefer 100% renewable supply.

Councilors asked about savings and program safeguards. Good Energy representatives said past experience in participating communities showed typical savings on the default greener product on the order of mid‑single digits (roughly 5–6 percent) and larger savings on the lowest‑renewables product (roughly 8–10 percent), but they cautioned that future market prices cannot be guaranteed. They also noted that participation rates vary and that opt‑out rates for similar municipal programs have ranged about 10–15 percent.

Public Utilities Commission oversight: Good Energy emphasized the plan is regulated and approved by the PUC, which the presenters said provides consumer protections not present in unsolicited mail or door‑to‑door third‑party offers.

Roll call: Councilor Drew — Aye; Councilor Hill Ross — Aye; Councilor Kate Page — Yes; Councilor Matt McCoy — Aye; President Mancini — Aye. The resolution passed.

Why it matters: The aggregation gives residential and small commercial customers a new, municipally backed supply option that the town says can combine modest near‑term cost savings with increased use of renewable energy. Residents will be automatically enrolled unless they use the prepaid postcard to opt out; they may also leave the aggregation at any time without penalty. Low‑income protections and budget‑billing arrangements are preserved by the plan.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","North Kingstown Town Council February 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Town Council voted unanimously to approve a municipal aggregation plan, joining seven other Rhode Island municipalities and authorizing Good Energy to begin education and outreach ahead of a possible June supply launch.","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},6113398,"Police urge automated enforcement and red-light cameras; council asks staff to gather vendor options and public outreach plan",1283,1447000,2730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2745166-f5211058b4f8165701e43d974c509e74&start=1447&end=2730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2745166-f5211058b4f8165701e43d974c509e74/thumbnail_1447000.jpg","/articles/6113398/Rhode-Island/Police-urge-automated-enforcement-and-red-light-cameras-council-asks-staff-to-gather-vendor-options-and-public-outreach-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6113398-a98abeba9ec146d93091ca6777846d58/orig.mp4?Expires=1771042332&Signature=BFiwCe3ZQcEV5~SVodOi-wZHRmycQ768TwmKHK2nlAmV7Wgc6l9~W~hquErozil2fkMiieqvgwvYQ5F4w6RNnLlHzTl8G78JEF25QFNOKSyPzSM8z~lrh-iW~uFPt7BCzHnTmmyuTBYbFcxb2jVQYtIRgrpqm0zTrQ8UZzQoqfkQYO9CqulVeon9oTdi2n-HCVuZ~65m3tkdMBUR31jFZQa6lobRVD0NXcT1OTM~M~tfdGtHNOFDVlz0RPWcH8T3HuUhd-5ty4EGKXQbki6T9oKvHxjEj~wqwBlFoRPzouqW9fwb1q0OesD~4~MKZ7mbZsB049IhffAwdllx7N4CoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Police Chief John Urban and members of the department described an expanded traffic unit and presented data the department says show speeding and dangerous behavior at several locations, including school zones and the Quonset/ Roger Williams Way area.

Captain (Traffic Unit) — the department's traffic lead — told the council the unit recorded 7,100 traffic-related contacts in 2024, up from about 5,000 in 2023, and said citation counts rose from about 2,500 in 2023 to 3,200 in 2024. He said the department has invested in portable speed-trailer boards and stealth data boxes to gather targeted speed data for specific complaints.

Captain: \"When we compare citation numbers... our officers aren't out there littering the streets with giving people citations... they're making discretionary stops, educating the public,\" he said, describing the unit's emphasis on targeted enforcement and education.

The department reported automated speed studies at two school-area streets that showed about 77% of drivers exceeding the school-zone threshold when measured with the vendor's parameters (set at 11 mph over the posted limit for the study). The chief and traffic officers recommended exploring two approaches: flashy advisory speed signs (which the police said have limited long-term effect without enforcement) and automated enforcement systems — red-light cameras and automated speed enforcement — in locations allowed by state law.

Police said Rhode Island law currently limits automated speed-enforcement cameras to school zones and that such programs typically issue a $50 mailed citation; vendors often install and maintain equipment at no upfront cost and retain a negotiated share of fines. Captain said the department prefers automated speed enforcement in school zones and automated traffic enforcement (red-light cameras) in high-risk intersections, for example on Roger Williams Way/Quonset approaches, where Electric Boat representatives told the council the company supports cameras to protect employees crossing roadways.

Daniel Viar, director of health and safety for Electric Boat, said his company employs about 7,000 people at the Quonset site and supports measures that curb dangerous driving. \"It would be really nice if somebody blew a red light that they got a ticket,\" Viar said.

Council discussion focused on legal limits and next steps. Councilor Matt McCoy asked whether implementing automated enforcement would require an ordinance; the police replied that state law sets the $50 fine and that equipment and permitting are typically provided by vendors, but the town would need to authorize service agreements. Several council members urged robust public outreach before any contract approval.

Outcome: Council members directed staff to solicit specifications and proposals from vendors, prepare contract options and an outreach plan, and return to the council for authorization and public comment. No ordinance was enacted at the meeting.

Why it matters: Automated enforcement and red-light cameras change how traffic safety is enforced and can reduce violations in targeted locations, but they also raise questions about privacy, local ordinance language, vendor revenue-sharing and the limits of state law. The council's next steps will determine whether and where the town installs cameras and how it notifies residents.","Police Chief John Urban and the traffic unit presented data showing increased traffic contacts and recommended automated enforcement in school zones and red-light cameras at problem intersections.",{"_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},6113403,"Asset Management Commission presents 2026–30 capital recommendations; council files report",883,569000,1452000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2745166-f5211058b4f8165701e43d974c509e74&start=569&end=1452","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2745166-f5211058b4f8165701e43d974c509e74/thumbnail_569000.jpg","/articles/6113403/Rhode-Island/Asset-Management-Commission-presents-202630-capital-recommendations-council-files-report","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6113403-1f934baf0ed8b42cca876b6abf895697/orig.mp4?Expires=1771042332&Signature=ej9e7FkOeADE0WQxCM~C0KTpd69Z0Jr-mO3qRVLLfTChzSYrgh6bFee3gS1yKO4IIgsrhBT4N9SRYlM4Ot8nmzw7YDwFFx~akmyNeGG93QEoqU8~PrHShMj6LxwYiPxiL8OcPC~FsCB~LHNyjjLBIwhEGOVurNE0VCutXGhUvfBcn7LT3Ji9QRYL4Vwa1vZVpWCfNGrBTION63wcttUQNyrFlZvnwFDJFAqSqz4Z2GvjSMOBtq~J1RWBm0Bs55S1y4ElbK2AXSEjFNiFUbxVm5aXioVigioJP83HycBjf-GvfwTqSP6tQA4djiXKhcSJGG4gYviGG1jg4sVOU9j2ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","James Hallie, chair of the Asset Management Commission, presented the commission's recommended capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2026–2030 and asked the Town Council to file the commission's report.

\"We have a nice book that's very thick that has a lot of stuff in it,\" Hallie said, summarizing the commission's assessment and its call to improve how the town tracks and funds maintenance work.

The commission recommended that capital-protection funds be embedded in each department's budget rather than held centrally; that the town publish an annual five-year plan with clear funding sources; that the town pursue additional grant opportunities and consider a grant writer or third‑party grant consultant; and that the town buy work-order software to keep asset inventories current.

Town Manager Ralph (Town Manager) told the council he uses the commission's priorities when preparing the town budget and expects the commission's recommendations to be incorporated into the FY2026 budget. \"I look forward to this plan because it's something that I include in my budgeting both for current year and future years,\" he said.

Councilor Kate Page moved to file the report; the motion was seconded and the council voted to file the commission's document.

Why it matters: The commission's recommendations affect how the town sets maintenance priorities and presents capital requests to voters and potential bond markets. Embedding maintenance funding at the department level and investing in tracking software are intended to increase transparency about which assets the town plans to maintain and when. The commission also flagged grant-writing as a recurring gap: a full-time grant writer, the commission said, could cost in the neighborhood of $100,000 in salary and $150,000–$160,000 all-in, which the town manager said is currently unaffordable but that existing staff have taken on some grant duties.

The council accepted the commission's filing. The town manager and department heads will use the document in upcoming budget deliberations and the asset management recommendations will appear in budget materials for public review.","The Asset Management Commission presented a draft capital improvement plan and recommended embedding maintenance funds in department budgets, buying work-order software and pursuing grant-writing capacity. The town council voted to file the commission's report and the town manager said the recommendations will inform the FY2026 budget.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Town Council approves municipal aggregation plan; Good Energy to lead outreach before launch

Police urge automated enforcement and red-light cameras; council asks staff to gather vendor options and public outreach plan

Asset Management Commission presents 2026–30 capital recommendations; council files report