Council sets public hearing dates for FY25-26 Warren budget season

Costa is pick to fill planning board vacancy, East Providence is added to mutual aid agreement

By Mike Rego
Posted 1/15/25

Preparations by appointed officials and department directors for the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget season are well underway in Warren, and the town council, at its Tuesday, Jan. 14, meeting took up a …

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Council sets public hearing dates for FY25-26 Warren budget season

Costa is pick to fill planning board vacancy, East Providence is added to mutual aid agreement

Posted

Preparations by appointed officials and department directors for the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget season are well underway in Warren, and the town council, at its Tuesday, Jan. 14, meeting took up a very important part of the process by agreeing on a pair of public hearing dates for residents to provide feedback.

Council Vice President Kerri Cronin, who conducted the gathering in the scheduled absence of Town Council President Joseph DePasquale, put the dates suggested by Town Clerk Sandrea Speroni up to a vote, which were unanimously approved.

Those are Wednesdays, March 19 and 26, in the town hall chamber at 6 p.m.

Said Cronin prior to the vote, "As they have now been for a number of years, these are public meetings, and we really do encourage public engagement, public participation, public action in helping us develop a budget that is meaningful and and livable for us all."

New planning board member
The council made a couple of appointments during last week's proceedings, one of which was to fill a key opening on the Warren Planning Board left vacant by the recent resignation of Jim Leffers.

In the mix were current alternate members Richard Matton and Blake Costa along with Tim White, who just a few months back unsuccessfully ran for one of the two openings on the council eventually filled by Louis Rego and Derrik Trombley.

After each came to the podium to present their qualifications and lobby for the spot, Costa was the unanimous choice to fill the vacancy. Matton remains as an alternate. White, when asked by Trombley if he would be interested in serving in the role, was urged to reapply for the other alternate seat Costa is leaving behind. The opening, like with the full-fledged position, must be re-advertised to the public to seek any additional applicants.

In his comments to the council seeking approval, Costa said a couple of things that separate him from his counterparts was his experience on the board as an alternate and as a successful entrepreneur. Costa is Chief Operating Officer at Sweetspot Brands, described as a multi-state vertical cannabis brand with operations in Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland and which he told the council is a $50 million business with some 200 employees.

Of his professional attributes, Costa said, "That's required me to sit on boards like this with town councils, zoning boards, planning boards, present and be a goo neighbor and work with towns to bring these projects to life. So I have extensive experience in that. I've seen what works. I've seen what doesn't work. I know how to be efficient.

"And I understand budgets. In this town I know a budget's important. I think there's synergy among all the departments to make sure we need our goals for people in Warren whether it's making sure projects come into this town, making sure we adhere to our requirements coming down from the state, because you're gonna ask me about one of the troubles is meeting our affordable housing requirements with the state. So, if I can bring anything it's just perspective and experience."

Reached for comment after the meeting, Warren Planning Board Chairman Fred Massie said of Costa's appointment, "Blake has already proven himself by attending the meetings and doing the homework prior to, so I believe he will be a great addition to a very thoughtful board. His business experience will be particularly helpful."

Mutual aid
The council backed a proposal brought forth by Police Chief Roy Borges and Town Manager Brian Sullivan seeking to alter slightly the town's law enforcement mutual aid agreement to include East Providence as well as existing partners Barrington and Bristol.

When questioned by the members, Borges explained much of the program will remain the same, like pay scales and the use of the payment tracking system to account for any work details officers perform.

Borges said, however, by adding East Providence it will afford all of the municipalities to have access to full-vested police officers at the ready.

"I would have an officer who has arrest powers, rather than have an a constable at certain events and put them in that situation," Borges added.

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.