LETTER: Hypocrisy in North Kingstown

To the editor:

In line with their Comprehensive Plan, North Kingstown residents have openly expressed their desire to preserve and enhance the character of their community. Unfortunately resident preferences have fallen onto the deaf ears of the NK GOP Town Council majority; the same majority that obviously has an agenda opposing that of their constituents as they implement their own insidious vision. NK residents have made it clear that they want to preserve the character of North Kingstown as exemplified by Wickford Village, Lafayette, its historic structures, and the rural character at the western end of town. This desire obviously includes the historic preservation of significant structures such as the North Kingstown Town Hall and the Annex building. It is ironic that the NK GOP Town Council majority’s planned abandonment of the NK Town Hall and Annex building occurs at the same time that North Kingstown and Exeter are hosting the RI Historic Preservation Conference scheduled for April 30th. Equally ironic was NK Councilor Carol Hueston’s letter published in last week’s Independent making it very clear that this council majority is not an advocate of historic preservation. Ms. Hueston defiantly disparages and insults the Executive Director of the RI Historic Preservation Commission, Ted Sanderson (who is hosting the upcoming conference) as well as the Executive Director of Preserve RI, Valerie Talmage. Remembering that Mr. Sanderson and Ms. Talmage were invited guest to the NK Asset Management Commission I would hope that during his opening conference comments NK Town Council President McKay will apologize publicly to Mr. Sanderson for Ms. Hueston’s embarrassing, distorted, and vindictive comments. Equally important, I hope that the council majority rethinks and reverses their agenda of abandoning historic NK buildings, developing a new high intensity area centered in the vicinity of Wickford Junction and expanding commercial strip development west along Route 2 to the Exeter town line.

North Kingstown is not the only town to experience the destructive impact of this council majority’s agenda. Their lack of respect for preservation has impacts that extend beyond North Kingstown’s borders. It poses a threat to the immediate future of the abutting Town of Exeter, and eventually the entire region of South County. Exeter embraces historic preservation and the preservation of its rural character. The policies and goals in Exeter’s Comprehensive Plan, zoning ordinance and planning regulations set preservation as a high priority. As a member of the Exeter Planning Board I am deeply concerned with the negative direction that the NK Town Council majority has taken with regards to preservation and its future development especially at the western intersection of Route 2 and 102 bordering Exeter. Nothing less than Exeter’s survival as a rural community is at stake. As evidenced by the continuing dysfunctional NK council meetings and the proposed policies and directions such as the Preserve at Rolling Greens, the Town Hall abandonment - relocation debacle and the Wickford EL redevelopment; the ruling NK Council majority has embarked upon may very well be just the tip of a dark iceberg. The perpetuation of their agenda is leading to a dark future for North Kingstown and it’s neighbors. Clearly they are not advocating for an agenda that represents the preference of their constituents which in turn prompts the question . ”who’s agenda are they advocating and who are they representing”?

What is a citizenry left to do when its officials continually refuse to openly and honestly represent them? Unfortunately history, and “A Tale of Two Cities” authored by Charles Dickens, may hold an unwelcome answer!

Sincerly,

Frank DiGregorio
Member, Exeter Planning Board