Middletown 2013 Year in review

Over the past year it has been an honor to work with a Council and Administration Committed to Middletown and that has invested in long-term infrastructure improvements and initiated or followed through on a wide range of projects which will ultimately improve our quality of life.

These projects include:

·         Continuing to work with the Navy to acquire, through a Public Benefit Conveyance, land on the west side of Middletown for a shoreline park;

·         Initiating planning for a recreational complex located on the Boulevard Nurseries/Tibbets Farm properties on East Main Road;

·         Partnering with athletic organizations, the Aquidneck Land Trust, Salve Regina University and others to improve and maintain our parks and recreational resources;

·         Continuing to work with the Navy to acquire the property at the corner of West Main and Coddington Highway for development of a mixed-use commercial complex

·         Acquisition of property to increase the capacity and efficiency of west side waste-water infrastructure;

·         Developing a way forward to create a passive recreation area in the Kempenaar Valley;

·         Working with RI Department of Transportation to improve the 2-Mile corner and the Aquidneck Ave./Green End Road intersections;

·         Initiating planning for improvements to storm-water runoff to improve and protect the quality of our drinking water supply and to eliminate beach closing during storms and heavy rains;

·         Replacing and refurbishing infrastructure on Forest Ave. and Easton’s Point neighborhoods;

·         Completing the planning phase for renovation of the Fire Station and Public Works facilities;

·         Continuing to expand our collaborative efforts with Newport, Portsmouth and other Rhode Island municipalities in such areas as broadband access and sharing of IT services,

·       Exploring with other Newport County municipalities the creation of a Newport County Unified High School, and;

·         Supporting the establishment of a museum honoring the USS John F. Kennedy and those who served on her.

Middletown’s past infrastructure investments and current initiatives have reduced the strain on Middletown’s storm-water treatment facilities, resulting in the virtual elimination of beach closures.  Middletown is now partnering with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to ensure that we are prepared for the implementation of new regulations which will improve and protect our drinking water supply.

Middletown has invested time and resources to identify prudent ways to allocate the costs for infrastructure improvements without increasing the tax burden on our citizens.  Fundamental to this effort is Middletown’s commitment to a pay-as-you-go approach and Capital Improvement Program which avoids increasing the Town’s debt while carrying out those improvements which will make the greatest improvement to our infrastructure.  Infrastructure improvements, although disruptive in the short term, will ensure that our residents have reliable, safe, water, natural gas, storm-water and waste-water service for decades to come.

Looking ahead, Middletown will continue to pursue and complete the projects and initiates above and will begin the process of preparing for any realignment of the Navy in Newport.

The challenge for our Town Councils and Town Administration will be to complete these projects without unduly increasing our taxes.  I am convinced that we are up to the challenge.