The Westerly Town Council voted Monday to approve an emergency ordinance imposing odd-even watering restrictions for 61 days, after a water main break at the state beach and a stalled storage tank strained the town's supply over the Fourth of July weekend, according to the meeting recording.
Odd-even watering restrictions and $100 fines
Town Manager Lacey told the council that a four-inch water main separated near the state beach's newly installed ticket booths, leaking an estimated 275,000 gallons an hour for roughly two weeks before it was repaired. Combined with a Bradford storage tank that was offline for maintenance, the losses caused pressure drops in parts of town, particularly near the beach. Lacey said the town was never at risk of running out of water — the limiting factor was pumping capacity, not supply — but recommended the odd-even schedule as a conservation measure heading into a dry, humid stretch. The council approved the ordinance by voice vote. Under the rules, houses with odd-numbered addresses may water lawns, wash vehicles, and fill pools only on odd-numbered days, and even-addressed houses on even days; violations carry a $100 fine per incident. Councilors debated whether to raise the fine or focus enforcement specifically on lawn watering, the largest driver of nighttime demand, but ultimately left the penalty as proposed. The restriction also applies to roughly 6,000 households in Stonington, Connecticut, that receive water from Westerly's system under a 19th-century agreement; officials said enforcement there is handled through Stonington police.
SBA disaster loans for February blizzard losses
A substitute presenter from the U.S. Small Business Administration, filling in for a colleague, outlined a low-interest disaster loan program for businesses and nonprofits that suffered economic losses — not necessarily physical damage — from the February 22-24 snowstorm. Loans of up to $2 million are available at 4% interest for businesses and 3.625% for nonprofits, with 30-year terms and no payments due for the first year. Councilors pressed on oversight and default risk; the SBA representative said she did not have information on how many Westerly-area businesses have applied but offered to follow up by email.
Harbor Management Commission appointment stalls
The council's appointments subcommittee had previously voted to nominate former Town Councilor Joy Cordio to fill a vacancy on the Harbor Management Commission, but Councilor Healy — who chairs that subcommittee and was absent from the earlier vote — told the full council Monday that the subcommittee's own interview requirement had not been followed in Cordio's case. Several residents spoke in support of Cordio's candidacy, citing her record on shoreline right-of-way referrals to the state Coastal Resources Management Council during her time on the council. One speaker argued other nominees that night had also not been interviewed, and questioned why Cordio's nomination was treated differently. A council member initially moved to appoint Cordio directly, bypassing the subcommittee process, but withdrew the motion after other councilors raised concerns about setting a precedent for ignoring committee rules. The council ultimately voted, 6-1, to continue the appointment to its August 17 meeting, after members noted the appointments subcommittee cannot meet again before its scheduled July 30 session. Several councilors said the delay was not personal and expressed support for Cordio's qualifications; Councilor Van Dover said he would review the earlier meeting recordings to ensure the process was handled fairly going forward.
Other appointments approved
The council approved, by voice vote, the appointment of Angelo Luzzi Jr. to the Board of Wreck (auxiliary seat), David Zeke Perry Arnold to the Board of Wreck (full seat), the reappointment of Lawrence Cioppa to the zoning board, the reappointment of Marco Tommasini to the architectural review board, and Daniel Vellucci to the board of assessment review. The council also revoted, 5-2, to appoint Henry Boeniger as an alternate member of the Board of Canvassers after the state attorney general's office flagged a notice issue with an earlier vote.
Charter amendment questions move toward November ballot
The council spent significant time discussing possible amendments to the town charter for the November ballot, with a self-imposed deadline of finalizing ballot language by its July 27 meeting so questions can be submitted to the Secretary of State by roughly August 5. A proposal to remove board and commission members, and elected officials, after three unexcused absences in a year failed to gain support; several councilors said existing charter provisions and term limits already allow removal for chronic absences, and objected to applying any absence rule to elected officials, saying voters should make that call.
The council voted 5-2 to move forward a question clarifying that if a vacancy occurs on the town council or school committee, the seat should be filled only until the next regular election, rather than for the remainder of the term — reflecting what former charter revision commission chair Michael Nemeth said was the commission's original intent when the charter was last revised. Some councilors noted the timing looked politically sensitive given a recent write-in appointment to the school committee, but the acting town solicitor confirmed the change would not affect anyone currently holding a seat.
The council also voted 6-1 to advance two questions — reworded by a resident who submitted detailed suggestions — that would shift most town legal notices to electronic publication, requiring newspaper publication only when required by state law, and would allow a summary notice in the newspaper directing readers to the full electronic notice online. Supporters said the change could save the town significant printing costs; one councilor opposed the shift away from print advertising entirely.
A proposal to require elected officials and board volunteers to submit annual state background checks (BCI checks) for public review at town hall did not move forward as a charter question after councilors raised concerns about cost, enforceability, and fairness to volunteers with old or minor offenses. Councilor Healy, who proposed the idea, said she would consider raising it instead as a change to the town's board and commission application process, alongside a related suggestion to ask applicants whether they have been convicted of a felony in the past ten years.
Other business
The council voted to advertise a public hearing, set for July 27, on a one-year moratorium on new data centers in town, amending the draft to more clearly capture battery energy storage systems. It also voted to advertise a public hearing on changes to the town's business registration ordinance, including striking a requirement that businesses display their registration certificate, while keeping an annual $25 registration process. Separately, the council voted to send a resolution to Westerly's state legislative delegation seeking term limits for commissioners of the Westerly Housing Authority; some councilors objected, saying the town should instead work to attract more applicants for open seats.
The council also voted to authorize the town solicitor to review a Harbor Management Commission recommendation regarding Egret Lane, with a possible resolution to follow for submission to the CRMC. Following public comment, the council entered a sealed executive session, by a 5-1 vote, to receive a legal update on ongoing litigation between the Watch Hill Fire District and the town; no action was reported afterward.
The council's next regular meeting is scheduled for July 27, 2026, when it plans to hold public hearings on the data center moratorium, the business registration changes, and the water rate ordinance, and to finalize ballot language for the charter questions.