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Council Update: Airport Neighborhood Mitigations In Progress

[CREDIT: Steve McAllister] The first Council Update of the New Year focuses on TF Green Airport and home heating assistance.

[CREDIT: Steve McAllister] The first Council Update of the New Year focuses on TF Green Airport and home heating assistance.
[CREDIT: Steve McAllister] The first Council Update of the New Year focuses on TF Green Airport and home heating assistance.
Editor’s note: The Council Update is a twice-monthly update on Council meetings and developments from Warwick City Council President Steve McAllister. The column is written after each council meeting, twice a month. This review of Warwick City Council events has been lightly edited to update time references, for grammar, and to include referential links for further reading.  

Happy New Year!

Warwick City Councilman Steve McAllister

Last night was the first council meeting of the year.  The main item on the agenda was an update from Mayor Picozzi regarding the RIAC and their plan for a cargo facility at TF Green Airport.

The Mayor gave a timeline of the back and forth between the city and the airport regarding this project.  Thankfully, it looks like an agreement is near and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) will soon be signed by both parties.

For a quick recap, I met with the President of the Airport Corporation and the Chairman of the Airport board about my priorities for this project last month.  I told them my two main concerns are no trucks on local roads and the sound barrier for the neighborhood around the project.  I am pleased that both of these priorities are included in the latest MOU.  Keeping the trucks off Main Ave and the local roads is my top priority.  I am pleased the airport has agreed to build an infrastructure that will direct all trucks to the airport connector avoiding Warwick streets.  I think this is a great step forward in getting this issue resolved while still protecting the residents of Warwick.

The airport has a major impact on our City and State economy so working together and not against each other is important.  I commend Mayor Picozzi and the airport officials for getting an agreement done.

It is important the airport continues to be a good neighbor to the residents of Warwick.

I am pleased it looks like all parties have been able to get together and come to an agreement.  The airport has a major impact on our City and State economy so working together and not against each other is important.  I commend Mayor Picozzi and the airport officials for getting an agreement done.  I would also like to give a special shout out and congratulations to my colleague Councilman Tim Howe.  He has fought for that noise barrier for years to help protect his constituents.  He has had monthly meetings with airport officials and I am happy the barrier will be built because of his hard work.

I will keep you updated as this project moves forward.

Home heating assistance

If you are looking for help with your utility bills this winter Westbay Community Action has resources available to Warwick residents.  Please contact Westbay here for heating assistance and utilities assistance.  https://westbaycap.org/programs/liheap-heating-assistance/

Next council meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 17.

Have a great day!

Steve

Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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