Solar Power System Details

by Tom Ferrio

I have been publishing articles about the installation of our solar power system (here and here). These have been more popular than I expected and I've been receiving questions, both online and offline, so I'll provide more details in this article.

What was going on at the Ninigret bonfire?

click to enlarge

by Tom Ferrio

Yesterday I posted an article about the Ninigret Park New Year's Eve Bonfire that included a spooky-looking photo by Laura Knudsen.

This morning I was going through my still photos, taken in burst mode, and found the one at the left.

Some additional dramatic photos of the flames in the wind can be found below the break.

Open space dirt for sale*

By spiking Ted Veazey's proposed conservation development,
Planning Commissar Ruth Platner spared us the expense of
educating potentially an entire classroom full of children.

Who gains and who loses from Charlestown’s land acquisitions? Who pays, and who gets to decide what we’re paying for? Deconstructing Charlestown civilization and its discontents.

By Linda Felaco

This land is your land,
Part 5: A series on the Charlestown Planning Commission

Part 1: The Platner Principle
Part 2: Reforming the Planning Commission
Part 3: Torturing the beach facilities project to death
Part 4: The most powerful force in the Universe
Part 5: Open space dirt for sale 
Part 6: What do open space advocates have against recreation?

Last winter, a Charlestown homeowner came before the Town Council with a proposal to turn the abandoned YMCA camp on Watchaug Pond, a blighted, tax-exempt property, into a 10-home conservation development that would have generated tax revenues without costing the town a dime. All the town had to do was alter the Comprehensive Plan to change the camp’s zoning from Open Space Recreation to residential. In most towns, you’d think this would be a no-brainer. But not here. Ted Veazey’s proposal was greeted with the same level of enthusiasm as if he’d suggested reopening the United Nuclear plant.

The Comprehensive Plan, the unerring word of god as expressed by his emissary on Earth, Planning Commission Chair Ruth Platner, could not be altered under any circumstances, not even if it meant reducing the number of buildings on the Open Space Recreation–zoned site from 15 to 10.

Another example of what a Homestead Property Tax Exemption looks like

RI Statewide Coalition board member got $50,000 in Homestead Exemption from Florida the year he ran for elected office in Rhode Island

Kerry King

By Will Collette

On December 12, the RI Statewide Coalition brought in a mob of non-resident property owners to denounce the proposal by town Democrats that Charlestown residents receive a $1000 Homestead Tax Credit on their property tax bills.

The Town Council majority – CCA leaders Tom Gentz and Dan Slattery, plus Lisa DiBello – voted against Charlestown residents and for non-residents by killing the $1000 Homestead Tax Credit.

The RI Statewide Coalition spokesperson and organizer for the evening was RISC head kahuna Harry Staley. But if RISC wanted to be truly honest and above board about what they stand for, they should have had RISC board member Kernan “Kerry” King speak for them.

Political Irony

Raimondo gets right-wing award in NY the same day news breaks that her business has left RI

By Will Collette

Rhode Island's savior and #1 union-buster Gina Raimondo (DINO) was in New York today receiving an award from the super-right-wing Manhattan Institute for her victory in cutting public worker pensions.

Addendum: Charlestown Pols score four spots on Elections delinquency list

Board of Elections publishes new list of overdue fines on campaign violations

By Will Collette

Addendum: Charlestown's special counsel for Indian Affairs, "Injun Joe" Larisa, was listed by GoLocalProv as "the biggest offender in 2011" of the RI Ethics Law. This was for Larisa's second major ethics violation since 2007. Larisa, the former Mayor of East Providence, represents the town in fighting whatever it is the Narragansett Tribe wants to do. According to Town Hall records, the town has paid Larisa $169,259 since July 2009.

Here we are in the 2012 Campaign season and some local politicians still haven't cleaned up after the 2010 campaign.

The Rhode Island Board of Elections released its new list of overdue campaign fines. These overdue payments total almost $1.2 million and are spread among over 200 individual candidates and PACs. Typically, the fines are for failure to file required campaign finance disclosure forms, with added interest and penalties for non-payment.

New Year's Eve Bonfire Video

"a Harry Potter-esque moment" at this year's bonfire
shamelessly "borrowed" from Laura Knudsen's Facebook page
(click to enlarge)

Will reported on the Ninigret Park bonfire within hours. I'm trying to find a good excuse for taking this long to post my video of the event.

I'll just say that people will appreciate a reminder of the event a few days later. Yeah, I'll go with that.

Anyway, click past the break to see the one-minute video of the fire when it was really going well.

Mitt Romney Action figure - get it now for next Christmas

The appliance you never knew you needed 

By Ted Rall




See the whole cartoon here.

Bye-bye Bachmann

We’ll miss you…and Rick Perry, too (whenever)

By Will Collette

Well, the sage voters of Iowa in their cozy little Republican caucuses picked Mitt Romney, a man with no fixed convictions, by the tiniest of margins over Rick Santorum, a man with such burning convictions that if President he would burn heretics in the public square of every village. And then there’s Ron Paul, coming in behind with his usual core of supporters who believe whatever crazy thing he says. It’s going to be a long and very bad year.

Democrats challenge Town Council majority on middle-class tax cuts

Open letter to the Charlestown Town Council

By Catherine O'Reilly Collette
Chair, Charlestown Democratic Town Committee

On December 12, 2011, the Town Council majority addressed the interests of non-resident and high-value property owners when it rejected the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee’s proposal for a $1000 Homestead Tax Credit.

Amid the long and bitter denunciation of our proposal was the occasional glimmer of concern for the more than 2000 Charlestown households who live in more modest homes. These residents struggle to make ends meet in this tough economy where jobs are scarce, benefits are being cut, food and energy prices are rising while home values are falling and credit is in short supply.

We designed our proposal, patterned after the other tax credits in our town, for these Charlestown families. You turned that proposal down. We understand that. It’s politics.

Solar Power Installation - Day 2

by Tom Ferrio

Yesterday I reported on the installation of solar panels on our garage roof.

Today they completed the electrical part of the installation.

For all our Benjamin Franklin fans out there

“Never confuse motion with action”

By Will Collette

One of Progressive Charlestown’s most avid readers is also a HUGE fan of Benjamin Franklin. So much so that he attributes quotes to Franklin that actually belong to other great thinkers.

For example, our reader thinks it was Franklin who said “better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”

That quote actually belongs to Abraham Lincoln, though he took it from King Solomon’s words from the book of Proverbs. Many other people, including Mark Twain, also used almost the same words.

The closest version of the idea that comes from Ben Franklin’s writing is this: “Silence is not always a sign of wisdom, but babbling is ever a mark of folly.” Same sentiments, but sorry, Dear Reader, it doesn’t come close enough to give Franklin even partial claim on the Lincoln quote.

But here’s a consolation prize. I found two quotes that struck me as very wise indeed:

New on Progressive Charlestown

Hungry Haven

Today is the first day that feels like winter to us. But Progressive Charlestown is preparing for the summer 2012 season.

Read on for information about our plans to provide more information about local restaurants and other businesses.

Why do we own a sheep barn with no sheep?

With vistas like this available all over town,
how much open space do we really need?

… and trails for which there are no maps?

By Linda Felaco

UPDATE, Wednesday, January 4:
This morning's CCA e-bleat is an edited version of the flyer Joanne D'Alcomo passed out at the bonfire. Now, instead of the funds being raised "to create a nature sanctuary there for the benefit of all," the CCA e-bleat says the funds are being raised "to create a nature sanctuary with walking trails for all to enjoy" [emphasis mine]. Though unless they've magically solved the handicapped-access issues since December 28, it would appear that the "all" really means "all who can walk."

In response to my story on the YMCA camp discussion at the December 28 Planning Commission meeting, an anonymous commenter asked, “How much ‘passive recreation’ does one town need?” and proceeded to list the many recreational opportunities our town offers, including “a sheep barn with no sheep.” Which raises a good question: Why did we spend $31,980.00 for a sheep barn with no sheep? 

Who will be responsible for handicapped access at YMCA Camp land?

Is this going to put the town and the Land Trust in jeopardy?

Handicapped access is a legally
protected civil right

By Will Collette

At the December 28 Planning Commission meeting, Commissar Ruth Platner led a 45-minute discussion about how to advise the Town Council on the proposal to spend at least $475,000 of town funds to buy the derelict YMCA Camp on Watchaug Pond.

The total acquisition cost to make yet  another 27.5 acres permanently tax-exempt is an estimated $946,000, of which $367,000 would come from the state of Rhode Island (i.e., also our tax dollars). 

After spending almost $1 million in taxpayers’ money, the plan is to give title to the Charlestown Land Trust. The exact purpose and use of the land, currently covered with 15 derelict buildings and leaking cesspools, is unclear. A recent fund-raising flyer by the Charlestown Land Trust says the property will become a “nature sanctuary.”

During the rambling discussion, the most contentious issue among the Commissioners was parking and access, particularly for the handicapped and for small children.