Valley Breeze

cumberland lincoln edition | valley breeze | marcH 27-aPril 2, 2014 CUMBERLAND 5 IN BRIEF By MARCIA GREEN valley breeze editor mgreen@valleybreeze.com CUMBERLAND – A slimmed-down version of the ordinance calling on Town Hall leaders to use the federal E-Verify system when hiring someone new gathered sup- porters and detractors last week and is now due for an up or down vote on April 6. Seven organizations and one attorney associated with the legal rights of minority, low- income and other vulnerable citizens delivered a letter to the Town Council last week that strongly agrees with Council President James Higgins' contention that this system is "error-ridden" and "has been used to unduly burden and dis- criminate against lawful work- ers from gaining employment." Meanwhile, turning up in person to support the ordi- nance was former Town Council President Marlene Smith, who told Councilor Manuel DaCosta's Ordinance subcommittee members the system offers fairness. This ordinance, introduced by Councilor Scott Schmitt and supported by DaCosta, calls on Town Hall to check the legal status of anyone offered a job using the E-Verify system that cross-checks Social Security numbers. The ordinance will require four votes to pass. According to the E-verify website, the majority of Rhode Island communities are already using it. DaCosta's subcommittee agreed to amend the ordinance slightly by changing "potential employees" to "newly hired employees," and to remove phrases that included refer- ences to "illegal aliens." Quoting an expression by her late husband, Jim Smith, Marlene Smith asked, in sup- port of the measure, "What part of illegal don't you under- stand?" She noted, too, "There are obviously a lot of political overtones and people are afraid of it." Former Town Council mem- ber Jim Hollis told the sub- committee the measure bring "fairness to those who do it the legal way." In other council action: • Approved an adjustment to the rental rates of the newly renovated high school football field, which is under the town's care, rather than the School Department. New rates reflect the upgrade to artificial turf at Tucker Field. They were proposed by Parks & Recreation Director Mike Crawley with allowances made for local youth teams, such as the Colts football organization. Under the plan, adult Cumberland resident organiza- tions will pay $100 an hour; adult and youth non-resident teams will pay $200 an hour. Cumberland youth groups will be charged $100 an hour but will be granted four free five-hour time slots per season. The offer extends only to local youth groups that are open to all who apply, such as the Colts, said Crawley. Selective traveling teams will be charged, he said. Lights on the field are avail- able to all at a rate of $100 for four hours. The field is not gated off so that residents may use the track, but there is a $150 fine for using the field without a permit, Crawley said. He also noted that many fields with artificial turf are now available and rental demand by outside groups will be less because of that. • Councilors refused to consider a rezoning of 436 Mendon Road, the site of a house in disrepair next to a kitchen counter shop where Chuck Lombardi's auto body shop will be located, until they get a recommendation from the Planning Board. The request from Joseph and Aurora Almeida is a change from light commercial to multi-family. A total of eight new units on 31,000 square feet are proposed for the site. Pushed by the applicant's attorney, however, the council- ors did express an interest in seeing the property upgraded and noted it sits between the coming auto body shop and Berkeley Commons, a multi- family development. E-Verify amended, Tucker Field fees upgraded CUMBERLAND – Frank Stowik, the Public Works fore- man responsible for clearing Cumberland roads of snow and ice, has story after story to tell about residents who think nothing of shoveling up snow from their driveways and cars and depositing it onto his newly plowed streets. The behavior is so consistent, that he quickly named some of the worst offenders during a subcommittee meeting with Town Council members: The Diamond Hill CVS store that routinely clogs a lane of Bear Hill Road, the residents in Jason's Grant, in Georgianna Villa, and at the corner of Vineyard and Highland ave- nues. Even after crews have been plowing for 36 hours, he said, "you come down the road and it doesn't look like it's been plowed at all." Several years ago, one plow operator who complained to a Sun Valley Drive resident got a shovel thrown at his wind- shield, he said. So, it's with relief, Stowik says, that the town is resurrect- ing an ordinance that prohibits dumping snow on plowed streets and imposes a $25 fine on first offenders. With salt running $56 a ton, he told councilors, "it gets costly. If we have to re-sand, it gets costly." The ordinance is coming to the Town Council from the administration and is identical to one suggested in 2011 by then-council member Charles Wilk, a political outsider at the time. Back then, according to min- utes, a series of questions were raised and the ordinance was tabled. When it popped up a few months later, councilors were enjoying the spring weath- er and killed it by putting off for an indefinite time. Police Chief John Desmarais asked for several modifications during the workshop meeting last week. And he cautioned that wit- nesses will be needed in order to prosecute. Councilors voted to table the ordinance so the language can be amended, but this time they promised its return to an April meeting. Fines planned to stop residents from piling snow in streets DACOSTA SCHMITT CUMBERLAND – The Office of Children, Youth and Learning, 1464 Diamond Hill Road at the Monastery, is now taking registration for its spring session. Programs include ceramics, chess, electronics, guitar, voice and song-writing lessons, and private tutoring in numeracy and literacy for all grade levels. Preschool age pro- grams with a parent or guardian include art, music and move- ment, and science. Additionally, registration for free April vacation week pro- grams will begin on April 1. Class times, dates and cost per pupil, as well as registration forms and financial aid forms, are available on the website www.ocyl.org . Call 401-475-0929, ext. 1, for more information. OCYL taking signups for spring classes the valley breeze reaches 88% of the homes in cumberland & lincoln? (no mailman needed…) do you know? Prompt, professional tax service. Call today! M.W. ARAGAO 2374 Diamond Hill Road, Suite 3B, Cumberland, RI 02864 (1/4 mile north of I-295, Exit 11) 401-475-7570 Taxes@mwaragao.com INCOME TAX PREPARATION TAX PROFESSIONALS • INVESTMENT ADVISORS • IRAs p87046.ad.crtr - Page 1 - Composite Job Number: p32847 Customer: MW Aragao & Company LLC Phone: 475-7570 N O T I C E T he Cumberland Water Department will begin our hydrant flushing program. This is a semi-annual procedure to remove the bulk of the accumulated sediments in the water mains. AREA 1 (MARCH 31, 2014 TO APRIL 9, 2014) BERKELEY/ASHTON AREA: BOTH SIDES OF MENDON ROAD FROM MARSHALL AVENUE NORTH TO INTERSTATE 295, INCLUDING ALL PLATS AND SIDE STREETS. ALSO ANGELL ROAD, INCLUDING ALL PLATS AND SIDE STREETS. AREA 2 (APRIL 6, 2014 TO APRIL 23, 2014) DIAMOND HILL AREA: SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 295 ON DIAMOND HILL ROAD, INCLUDING ALL PLATS AND SIDE STREETS. AREA 3 (APRIL 17, 2014 TO MAY 14, 2014) CUMBERLAND HILL AREA: NORTH OF INTERSTATE 295 ON MENDON ROAD AND ALL PLATS AND SIDE STREETS. AREA 4 (MAY 8, 2014 TO JUNE 10, 2014) ARNOLDS MILLS AREA: NORTH OF INTERSTATE 295 ON DIAMOND HILL ROAD, ABBOTT RUN VALLEY ROAD AND NATE WHIPPLE HIGHWAY, INCLUDING ALL PLATS AND SIDE STREETS. OUR CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE SOME DISCOLORED WATER, AS WELL AS LOWER THAN NORMAL PRESSURE. IF YOU EXPERIENCE RUSTY WATER, RUN YOUR COLD WATER FOR A SHORT TIME TO CLEAR THE LINES. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MIGHT CAUSE. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE DATES WE WILL BE FLUSHING IN YOUR AREA AS THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS NOTICE WILL BE ADVERTISED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. HYDRANT FLUSHING NOTICE WATER DEPARTMENT 98 NATE WHIPPLE HIGHWAY CUMBERLAND, RHODE ISLAND 02864 TOWN OF CUMBERLAND Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the CUMBERLAND ZONINGBOARD OF REVIEW at the Town Council Chambers, Cumberland Town Hall, 45 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI on April 9, 2014 at 7:00 PM. New Matters: 1. Storage USA, Inc., of 197 Dexter Street, Cumberland, RI has petitioned this board for a Dimensional Variance for relief of signage area requirement. Article 13-8 (e) and (f), Article 18-2 Section (a) and Article 18-4 Section (e). Described as Assessor's Plat 006, Lot(s) 0026-35, 107, 108 109, and Designated Zone I-1. Located at 197 Dexter Street, Cumberland, RI 02864. 2. AFC Realty, LLC and Steven D. Girouard Building & Remodeling, LLC, of 1Westgate Road, Cumberland, RI has petitioned this board for a Dimensional Variance for relief of minimum front yard requirement. Article 18-2 Sections (a) and (c). Described as Assessor's Plat 054, Lot(s) 0533, and Designated Zone R-1. Located at corner of Kay Street and Rose Lane, Cumberland, RI 02864. 3. Cumberland School Department, of 2600 Mendon Road, Cumberland, RI has petitioned this board for a Dimensional Variance for relief of sign height requirement. Article 13-8 (f), Article 18-2 Section (a) and Article 18-4 (e). Described as Assessor's Plat 055, Lot(s) 0008, and Designated Zone OS. Located at 2600 Mendon Road, Cumberland, RI 02864. PER ORDER John P. McCoy - Chairman TOWN OF CUMBERLAND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Town Council of the Town of Cumberland, pursuant to the provisions of Article IV, Section 409 of the Home Rule Charter of the Town of Cumberland will consider for adoption an Ordinance entitled: #14-07 – An ordinance amending the salary of the Mayor Notice is further given that said Ordinance will be considered at a public hearing of said Town Council at the Cumberland Town Hall, Council Chambers, 45 Broad Street, Cumberland, Rhode Island on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at 7:30 p.m., at which time and place all persons may be heard. All ordinances are available for public inspection in the office of the Town Clerk and the Town's website, http://www.cumberlandri.org INDIVIDUALS REQUESTING INTERPRETER SERVICES FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED MUST NOTIFY THE TOWN CLERK AT 728-2400, EXT. 138, 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF HEARING DATE. PER ORDER CUMBERLAND TOWN COUNCIL Sandra M. Giovanelli, Town Clerk

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