NEW: Narragansett Dems & Republicans Urge Town Council Members to Support New Library
GoLocalProv News Team
NEW: Narragansett Dems & Republicans Urge Town Council Members to Support New Library
They are also calling for the library to move into a new home in the former Belmont Market Building, as was approved by voters in 2016.
“We may disagree on just about everything else, but when it comes to our library, Narragansett’s Democratic and Republican Town Committees agree that it is a cherished non-partisan institution that deserves our full support. It is unacceptable to both of our parties that the will of Narragansett voters is being ignored and that Councilors Mannix, Lawler and Lema are proposing budget cuts that will cause our library to lose state aid, reduce hours and reduce services,” said Win Hames, Chair of the Narragansett Democratic Town Committee.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMichael Riley, Chair of the Narragansett Republican Town Committee added, “The Maury Lootjens Memorial Library is a vital and beloved institution in the Town of Narragansett. These three councilors are intent on dismantling the Library through a vicious and spiteful abuse of power. Elected officials should follow the will of the people. That is why our Republican and Democratic Town Committees are united in calling on Councilors Mannix, Lawler and Lema to level fund the library’s budget and to follow the clear will of the town’s voters by allowing the library to move into the Belmont building, as was approved by 67.9% of voters in 2016.”
Latest on Library Battle
As GoLocalProv reported, advocates for the new and stalled library charge that the actions of Narragansett Town Council Chair Matthew Mannix are political retribution for their activism and his actions are damaging to town.
Nancy DeNuccio with the "Love Your Library" coalition appeared on GoLocal LIVE to talk about the long-running library battle.
See the Video Below
“It’s a battle that’s been going on for about ten years. For the last number of years, the library has had to reach out and get waivers from the state library association because they are not ADA compliant [and] there’s no bathroom in the children’s room. And the waivers have just carried them through," said DeNuccio. "The library was built in the early [1960s] when the town of Narragansett had about 3,200 people — we now have 16,000."
New Library Approved By Voters, Council Reverses Course
The battle for building a new library charge that the newly elected council is violating the intent of the vote of Narragansett residents.
"So they did a needs assessment and they found that the best spot was the old Belmont building in the pier marketplace. There was a lot of back and forth, a lot of meetings about it, people were pro or con — a few of the people on the previous Town Council were opposed to the deal for a number a reasons, including one individual who is really fiscally conservative — I think his main point was that he didn’t think this was a good deal," said DeNuccio.
MORE BELOW VIDEO
In their release on Wednesday, the town parties stated, "Let it be known that both Parties:
1) Support the voters of the town who overwhelmingly approved the $5.8 million bond referendum in 2016, and wholeheartedly support citizens’ efforts to move forward with the Belmont Library Project.
2) Are very concerned that democracy has been set aside in our town, and that Town Council members Matthew Mannix, Jill Lawler and Richard Lema have usurped power and authority in blocking this project, and are leading us down a perilous path.
3) Support the Belmont Library Project. Libraries are a vital and integral part of any community that is thriving and growing. A Library is non-partisan and apolitical. The Republican and Democratic Town Committees here in Narragansett BOTH ARE UNITED in our support of our library, the Library employees, the Library Board, Friends of the Library and the Love Your Library coalition.
4) Agree that level funding of our library must be maintained by the Town of Narragansett. Councilors Mannix, Lawler and Lema are attempting to cut the library’s budget. In doing so, our library will lose state aid, and the library will need to curtail hours of operation. This will obviously affect staffing. Library employees’ job security is very important to all of us. We agree that defunding the library is inexplicable, unconscionable and inexcusable.
5) Are appalled, astounded and deeply troubled by the blatant disregard of voters’ concerns that has been exhibited by Councilors Mannix, Lawler and Lema, as well as their tone deaf opposition to a library project that was backed by two-thirds of our town’s voters.
6) Encourage all voters to educate themselves about the library issue, and to ignore the spin and misinformation coming from Council members Mannix, Lawler and Lema. Accurate and factual information is readily available at the library. There are video recordings of Town Council meetings, newspaper articles, documents from workshops, etc.
19 to Watch in 2019 - FULL LIST
Angie Armenise
Chef and co-owner of Blackie’s Bulldog Tavern in Smithfield, Angie Armenise has it all going. Expansion to a new and larger location, a wonderfully loyal customer base and a big stack of awards -- and more to come in the new year. READ MORE
Marcela Betancur
Marcela Betancur, the new head of Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University and will be the power behind Latinx think tank in 2019.
Betancur, a Central Falls native, most recently worked READ MORE
Brian Goldner
No one will influence the psyche of Rhode Island more this year than Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner. After the loss of the PawSox to Worcester and the closing of Rhode Island’s beloved Benny's in 2017, Rhode Islanders are a bit raw.
He is poised to announce that Hasbro is...READ MORE
Cortney Nicolato
New United Way of Rhode Island President and CEO Cortney Nicolato succeeded Anthony Maione in 2018 — and takes on her first full year at the helm of the social service organization in 2019.
She is a Rhode Islander turned Texan returned back to Rhode Island. The Pawtucket native is all about Rhode Island and is passionate about helping to improve issues of housing affordability and the quality of education in RI. She is the mother of two elementary school-aged children. READ MORE
Sabina Matos
It is the rise of the Phoenix in Providence. On Monday, Sabina Matos won back the Presidency of the Providence City Council and returns to the top legislative position in the City of Providence.
As Providence goes so goes Rhode Island. Matos will be faced with taking on some of the most difficult issues in the state. READ MORE
Jamie Bova
The Newport City Councilor At-Large lined up the votes to votes for Mayor after being elected to just her second term on the Newport City Council this past November.
Bova, an engineer who grew up in Middletown, attended URI, and moved to Newport in 2012, succeeds Harry Winthrop as the city faces major changes ahead for 2019, including the construction of a new hotel on Thames Street — and more hotel proposals in the pipeline — and READ MORE
Jennifer Wood
The former private practice attorney turned top government aide turned non-profit director might have her biggest — and most public — battle on her hands in 2019.
RI Center for Justice Executive Director Jennifer Wood joined GoLocal News Editor on GoLocal LIVE where she spoke to the next steps after filing a federal class-action lawsuit in late November on behalf of all Rhode Island public school students to establish the right, under the U.S. Constitution, to an adequate education to prepare young people for full civic education.
Catholic Church Sex Abuse Survivors
In 2018, Bishop Tobin with the Diocese of Providence landed on GoLocal's “18 to Watch” as the Catholic Church was — and continues to remain — at the center of lawsuits pertaining to the collapse of the St. Joseph pension fund.
He’ll remain squarely in the spotlight — and not for good — in 2019, when he has pledged to release a list of names of abusive priests “credibly accused” over the years in the Diocese, as pressure mounts nationally for how sexual abuse claims were handled around the country — READ MORE
Matt Voskuil
One of Newport’s most iconic — and upscale — dining locations has a new look, a new chef — and people are taking note not just in Newport, but beyond.
Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage, Matt Voskuil at the newly opened Cara at the Chanler READ MORE
David Torchiana
The most powerful person in healthcare in Rhode Island may soon be a man who rarely visits the state and few here know his name.
Dr. David Torchiana is the CEO of Partners HealthCare and he is poised to push through an acquisition of Rhode Island’s second largest hospital group, ending the local control over three of Rhode Island’s most important healthcare assets. And, the deal has the potential of putting in peril thousands of Rhode Island jobs through consolidation. READ MORE
RI GOP Party Chair
Rhode Island Republican Party Chair Brandon Bell was defeated in his run for the General Assembly in 2018.
Republican Cranston Mayor Allan Fung lost in his second attempt at the Rhode Island Governor’s office, after a bruising primary that saw former opponent and House Minority Leader opt to endorse former Republican-turned-independent (and honorary chair for President Donald Trump’s campaign in Rhode Island) Joe Trillo. READ MORE
Anthony Baro
Anthony Baro heads Newport-based PowerDocks — one of Rhode Island’s most interesting startups. It is a market-making green tech company that, in many ways, combines the best of Rhode Island.
The emerging maritime renewal energy company is having an impact in the U.S. and globally. READ MORE
Blake Filippi
Blake Filippi is the new House Minority leader and is a fresh-faced leader for the GOP in Rhode Island. But, he faces a number of challenges. READ MORE
Desmond Cambridge
Brown University sophomore basketball player Desmond Cambridge has been a human highlight film his first year and a half on College Hill. He won Ivy League Freshman of the Year and this year he is READ MORE
Sarah Markey
South Kingstown School Board member Sarah Markey has been at the center of controversy since her election in November.
Markey, a top labor leader for the RI National Education Association, has drawn criticism by Democrats, Republicans and multiple municipal attorneys because READ MORE
Peter Neronha
Peter Neronha, the new Attorney General, takes over for the controversial Peter Kilmartin. The former U.S. Attorney for Providence now faces a far busier assignment than his federal one. READ MORE
Dylan Conley
Dylan Conley seems to be everywhere. Recently, GoLocal featured the attorney as one of Rhode Island's "Emerging Leaders."
He is the chairman of the Providence Board of Licenses and is in a hotbed READ MORE
Mike McGovern
Chef Mike McGovern -- formerly the chef at Red Stripe -- is taking the helm at East Greenwich's Kai Bar -- and now 241 Main Sports Bar and Grill.
Kai Bar is a combination of small plates and big drinks, “Kai offers a rotating small plates menu from an award-winning Chef and Craft Cocktails READ MORE
BIg Tourism Voids
Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the Rhode Island economy and two of the most important positions in the state are now vacant. READ MORE
