Warren Town Council hopefuls make their pitch

Seven candidates for Warren Town Council stated their case Thursday night when the Rhode Island League of Women Voters, East Bay Newspapers and the East Bay Chamber of Commerce held its second of two candidates’ forums at Warren Town Hall.

Unlike the 2014 election season, when council candidates sparred on many issues and took shots at each other over Warren’s finances and direction, this year’s slate of candidates took a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging during their hour-long forum that all appear to be good candidates and seem to have what they believe to be Warren’s best interests at heart.

“I think you’ve got seven good candidates here,” said Independent and former councilor John Hanley.

“I don’t think you can go wrong no matter which way you go. But I would like you to vote for me.”

Over the course of an hour, the seven candidates — incumbents Brandt Heckert (D), Joseph DePasquale (I) and Steve Thompson (D), along with hopefuls Keri Cronin (D), Paul Brule (D), Chris Stanley (R) and Mr. Hanley, responded to questions posed by audience members through moderator Scott Pickering.

The incumbents spoke of their track record over the past year, while hopefuls concentrated on what they plan to do if elected, and how they’ll work on the council. They spoke of the need for fiscal accountability in Warren, and said they’d like to see Warren in better shape financially.

“I don’t think we’re as stable as we used to be,” said Mr. Brule, a former council member. “The town always used to have a good budget; I’d like to see the town come back better financially.”

“I’m my best and strongest when I am working to support and improve my community,” added Ms. Cronin, a Water Street business owner, co-chairperson of Discover Warren, and the only one of the six candidates with no previous Warren Town Council experience.

“I think I’ve been a fairly steady hand with leadership,” added Mr. Stanley, who lost his seat on the council in 2014.

“If I look back over my 20 years, there are a great number of things I did. I’d love to continue to serve.”

Questions included:

* Whether the historic district should become mandatory, instead of its current voluntary nature.

Mr. Heckert said he believes the town should “explore” expanding the district, in that the current arrangement “does not really protect our assets.”

Ms. Cronin concurred, saying the strength of historic district regulation has helped her in her business.

“I know that many of my customers visit my store because they want to see the architecture, they want to see the history.”

* Main Street, and what to do about the many empty storefronts in Warren’s commercial center.

Ms. Cronin agreed that vacancy is a problem, and said that “we need to be strict and vigilant.”

“If you own property you should keep it in a condition “that’s rentable and desirable.”

Mr. DePasquale said the council is on top of the issue and is working to promote and improve the downtown. One plan in the works is a tax stabilization effort that focuses on properties that have been vacant for a year or more.

“Hopefully that will be an incentive to have development in vacant storefronts,” he said.

Mr. Heckert has made the condition of downtown Warren one of his campaign issues. He said the town’s multi-pronged approach toward revitalizing the downtown should include incentives for landlords, and should also look elsewhere.

“We need to look at parking,” he said. As for code enforcement, “We have to look at the duties of our buidling official. If he does not have the time to look into code enforcement, then we might want to look at a part time code enforcement officer. (But) I would rather spend that money to hire a liaison for town hall.”

“I think one of the first things we have to do is structure  a predictable business environment,” Mr. Thompson added.

With town finances stretched to the limit by union and pension obligations, there is not a lot of fiscal help to go around. But other things can have effects, he said, including code enforcement — “I’m in favor of hiring a code enforcement officer” — and putting the right people in place, including the current town manager and planning official. Also, he said Warren can look afield to find funds, including CDBG money, to help promote a healthy downtown. 

Mr. Hanley, the building official for the City of Pawtucket, said Warren doesn’t need new ordinances to improve its downtown area — just adequate enforcement.

* School funds, and what the recent funding court case means for the future:

Warren could be looking at an influx of more than $2 million, depending on whether the state Supreme Court rules in its favor on an appeal filed by Bristol over funding of the Bristol Warren Regional School District. Warren officials have been setting aside funds after a Superior Court judge ruled they’d overpaid the school district by $2 million per year for several years. And while Bristol has appealed, Warren officials believe they will prevail in court. If they do, one question asked, what should be done with the money?

Mr. Thompson said he’d like to see some or all of it go to offsetting the cost of a $20 million wastewater treatment plant upgrade, a project that the state DEM has ordered Warren to undertake.

“We are confident that we will prevail,” said Mr. Thompson, who said the project’s impact on the tax rate will be $1.28 per $1,000 valuation. “I would advocate for being prudent. This council took the smart decision to escrow the funds.”

Mr. Brule said he disagrees with Mr. Thompson. With that project bonded over 20 or 30 years, he said, the impact will not be catastrophic. Instead, he said, “We need to have a contingency fund in this town to take care of things.”

“We cannot increase taxes,” Mr. Heckert noted. “We have to make sure that we protect the tax base. Beyond that we need to put some money into infrastructure; that’s crucially important.”

As for the resultant tax impact, Mr. DePasquale noted that “there will not be a tax increase as long as that (school) money is appropriated.”

* Should the Financial Town Meeting be abolished?

The Warren Charter Review Commission recently recommended that the meeting be done away with in favor of other processes to give voters a say in the yearly budget’s formation. However, Mr. Brule said he does not support that.

“I support the town meeting,” he said. “Sure, people don’t show up if you don’t raise taxes. Raise taxes and you’ll have a lot of people there. I don’t know why you want to give up your rights. It’s one night a year’ you have a save if you want to show up.”

Mr. Stanley said he believes it should be eliminated, but said he would like to put in place a process by which voters could petition for a meeting to be held if need be.

“It allows the public to have a financial town meeting when they feel they need it.

For Mr. Heckert, the situation is clear: “Unfortunately, people don’t show up” at budget hearings and the annual town meeting. “The financial town meeting costs us $10,000 to run and I think it’s a matter of money frankly.”

* Is Warren business friendly?

Warren has long had a reputation as being not particularly helpful to prospective incoming businesses. But candidates said they don’t necessarily agree that it is. What’s needed are clear steps to guide business owners who want to come here, they said. 

“We are always happy to hear the compliments from the businesses who have come to town and have said that working with our department heads and members of the staff has been comfortable,” Mr. DePasquale said.

“I do not believe we are unfriendly. I do believe someone with a solid business plan and an understanding of the process can navigate their way through Warren.”

“There is an issue with processing businesses as they come through town and want to be here,” Mr. Heckert added.

“So we need to address permitting, which we are. We also as a council put some matching funds toward examining our permits and licenses … so we can expedite and help people through the system.”

“There are a few things I would do,” Mr. Hanley added. “In the downtown area we have certain parking requirements that simply can’t be met. They’ve got to go through all these hurdles … if we eliminate (them) it would eliminate the cost and hassle of having to go through that to open up a small business.”

Mr. Thompson said the issue is one of “perception,” but noted that the sitting council is taking steps to make it easier on businesses. He noted the recent decision to approve outdoor dining for businesses. That is “huge,” he said.

Other questions

* On term limits for Warren Town Council members:

“One of the (proposed) charter amendments I do agree with is a staggered term,” Mr. Stanley said. “But to simply cut somebody off at the knees in such a small town is probably wrong.”

“I would rather support much more voter education,” Mr. Hanley added.

* On the Tourister Mill:

“I’m very very happy with it,” Mr. Hanley said. “I’ve worked with that company; they really are a top of the line company. That’s what the end of Water Street needs.”

“I was on the planning board when they first came before us. We vetted them pretty thoroughly. I believe (the development) is a very positive step,” Mr. Heckert said.

* On nonpartisan elections for the town council:

“I support non-partisan elections on the town council level,” said Mr. Thompson.

“I’m the only Republican” running for council, added Mr. Stanley. “I would like a strong party system in the Town of Warren.”

Finally, councilor hopefuls were asked what distinguishes them.

“I always say what I’m thinking,” Mr. Hanley said. “You don’t have to guess where I stand on an issue … I am open to compromise (and) I am not afraid to vote with my conscience.”

Though he wasn’t raised here, Mr. Heckert said his view as somewhat of an outsider has given him a different perspective.

“I appreciate the culture and history here, but I also see it as an outsider looking in.” And his years as a successful business owner set him apart from some others out there.

“What separates me from others is that I have worked with” everyone running for council “successfully. I chose to run again because the work and progress we’re making has to continue.”

“I’m a woman,” Ms. Cronin said matter-of-factly.

“But beyond that, I am a person that builds relationships. I am a person that enjoys the challenge of bringing people together, and I think that’s a vital and important characteristic for a person who would sit up here.”

“I think the institutional knowledge I have for the Town of Warren,” Mr. Stanley added.

“Another thing I think, obviously being a Republican I’ve had to work three to four times harder to get elected. I can’t take anything for granted and I’ve never promised a thing other than to do my best.