Warwick Ward 7 City Council Race Q&A: Kirby

“I am proud to say that I am a lifelong resident of Warwick. I was born, raised, and educated here. I raised a family and made my living as a small business owner in this city. I am running for City Council to give back something to the city that I love. With the current councilman leaving office, I decided it was time for me to run,” Kirby said when asked to tell readers about himself and his reasons for running.

Kirby said his business background as owner/ operator of Kirby Bros.Construction, consists of financial and fiscal planning skills that would be an asset to the Warwick City Council.

“I feel strongly about taking fiscal responsibility and applying cost controls to keep tax increases to a minimum. This will make Warwick more business friendly,” Kirby said.

“Expanding property tax relief for seniors, veterans, and those with disabilities is on my To Do list. I also feel it is important to expand student opportunity through career and technical training. I think with the knowledge I have obtained through being a business owner will be helpful in the hard decisions that need to be made in the job of Warwick City Council Ward 7,” he added.

Warwickpost.com invited all Warwick City Council candidates to answer the same seven questions, giving them four days to respond. Candidates were urged to answer the questions directly, and invited to elaborate on each topic after answering the initial question. The answers have been edited for style and spelling, to ensure responses remain on-topic, and to avoid introducing misinformation into the debate.

All the candidates’ answers to the questionnaire have been posted within the same  10-minute window, with a digital dice roll assigning the order each set of answers run on the site, and thus, their order in  the daily newsletter.

Kirby’s opponents in the race,  independents Jeffrey Chapdelaine and Roger Ceresi, did not respond to messages inviting them to participate in this Q&A.  Here are Warwick Post’s questions, and Kirby’s answers:

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A –  1a) Should the policy require documentation of receipt and understanding, and/or reminders?

KIRBY: Yes

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 1b) Warwick Post received information on the policy and its distribution to managers –  public information – after a public records request following unanswered requests to the mayor’s office, weeks later. Mayor Picozzi has declined comment on the issue, citing legal concerns. Does Warwick’s mayor have a responsibility to comment to the public generally about the sexual harassment policy, and the communication of it to staff? How would you handle such situations?

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 1c) Please share any other thoughts you have on this.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 2) What is the most important thing you intend to do to aid small businesses in the city?

KIRBY: I’ve run a small business in Warwick for over 40 years. During that time I’ve seen a declining number of students entering the trades. I would like to see more career and technical training available to Warwick students so they, like me, can start a small business and have a career in the trades.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 3) In 2022, the RIAG’s office ruled the original digital records detailing WFD sick time taken by firefighters between 2013 and 2018 that cost the city up to $368,000, produced for the city by Marcum, belonged to Marcum and not the public, and therefore were not subject to the RI Access to Public Records Act, leaving the public to enter the information manually from the printed report for digital analysis:https://warwickpost.com/city-doesnt-have-to-produce-fire-sick-time-file-says-ag/

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A –  3b) What is your opinion of how this information was released to the public?

KIRBY: I was not aware this was not made available to the public

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 3c) Please share any other thoughts you have on this topic.

KIRBY:

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 4) Warwick School Committee Chairman Shaun Galligan reports the new high schools project will outstrip the $350M bond.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 4a) Would you support a second bond to make up the difference? Why or Why Not?

KIRBY: The voters approved $350M for the school construction projects. I think the parties involved should work together to deliver the project on budget.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 4b) Please share any other thoughts you have on this topic.

KIRBY:  I have always supported the public education system and think it is very important that we move forward and give our students the best education possible.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 5) ACLU of Rhode Island has filed a free speech suit against the Warwick City Council  in federal court for stifling the free speech rights of Rob Cote, barred from speaking at a July 17 Council meeting about allegations of ethical misconduct aimed at Councilwoman Donna Travis.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 5a) Are you prepared to honor the public’s right to speak at Council meetings, even if the speech criticizes you personally, or someone you know?

KIRBY: I will always listen to the voices of Warwick residents.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 5b) Why do you think Mr. Cote’s speech was so easily squelched? What would you propose to avoid a repeat of this behavior from the Council?

KIRBY: I did not attend this meeting.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A –  5c) Please share any other thoughts you have on this topic.

KIRBY: Kirby did not elaborate.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A – 6) In 2023, members of the public unsuccessfully proposed reforms to the public speaking segment rules, including preventing Council members’ filibustering from counting against the public speaker’s time, and allowing responses from the Council.

6a) Will you support those changes when the rules are scheduled to be reconsidered in 2025? Why?

KIRBY: I will work with my colleagues to make sure the rules are open and transparent.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A –  6b) What other changes would you like to see?

KIRBY:  It is very important that we work together to bring the school construction projects in on budget. This will take hard work with all involved.

WARWICK Ward 7 CITY COUNCIL Q&A –  6c) Please share any other thoughts you have on this topic.

KIRBY: Kirby did not elaborate.