By JENNETTE BARNES
The City Council gave its blessing to the purchase of the 64-acre Barton Farm property for $1.56 million at Monday's meeting, giving Mayor Scott Avedisian (R) the go-ahead to close on the property. The council clashed with the executive on the issue of dredging, however, voting to override Avedisian's veto of an ordinance sponsored by Council President Joseph Solomon (D-Ward 4).
Only Councilwoman Sue Stenhouse (R-Ward 1) voted to uphold Avedisian's veto on the dredging ordinance, which is aimed at giving the City Council greater jurisdiction over Warwick's harbor waters and the disposal of dredged materials.
The Coastal Resources Management Council has threatened to take the city to court over the ordinance, but Solomon and others are hopeful that the courts will validate the city's assertion of authority.
The council has the ability to retain its own legal representation if city solicitor John Earle, a mayoral appointee, will not defend the council's position.
Councilman Richard DeGregorio (D-Ward 3) said he was unsure of how he would vote until Friday, when he received a letter from council solicitor John Harrington that said the court decision CRMC cited in its objection was likely to be too narrow to apply to the Warwick ordinance.
Agreeing with DeGregorio, Councilman Carlo Pisaturo (I-Ward 5) said he hoped the courts would give Warwick its “due rights” over the harbor.
Councilman Steve Merolla suggested that if a container port is built in Quonset, the state could look to Warwick's waters for disposal of dredged material. He favors the attempt to exercise city authority over dredging and condemned Avedisian's veto.
“I thought it was a cop out for him to veto this,” Merolla said.
According to Solomon, the state Supreme Court decision cited by CRMC specifically states that other matters should be considered on an issue-by-issue basis. Not to defend the ordinance would be “an injustice to the citizens of Warwick,” he said.
On the Barton Farm resolution, all nine members voted to approve the purchase. City Planner Mark Carruolo had warned that any further delay would jeopardize the city's verbal agreement with developer Cold Spring Realty and the farm's owners.
Rebecca Loignon, president of the Centerville Area Neighborhood Preservation Association and chief community activist for the preservation of Barton Farm, has submitted an informal proposal to city officials for Barton Farm to follow the model of Billings Farm, a working farm museum in Vermont. She also submitted a letter from Warwick resident David Pancarowicz, who operates a farm in Coventry and would like to maintain the farmhouse and keep dairy cows on the land.
In other council action, the body approved a request for Michael Cheston, Rhode Island Airport Corporation executive director, to give the council a “State of RIAC” address at its April meeting or as soon as Cheston is available.