Warwick City Council will convene on Monday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall for its final meeting of the month. Councilman Vinny Gebhart (Ward 9) sent an email preview outlining the agenda items he believes merit close attention from residents.
Vacant commercial property tax (PCO‑8‑26 Sub A)
The council is reviewing an amended vacant‑property tax that would apply only to commercial buildings that have remained empty for a full year, as well as vacant lots littered with trash and clearly abandoned. The rate stays at $10 per $100 of assessed value – a 10 % annual levy – and would take effect in 2027.
Unpaid taxes would become a lien that must be cleared before the property can be sold. However, buyers who assume ownership of a vacant property with an approved, funded redevelopment plan would be exempt from the tax.
The intent, according to the proposal, is to motivate owners of long‑vacant commercial structures to repair, lease, or sell them, thereby preventing blight that drags down neighborhood property values.
Proposed Financial Oversight Commission (PCO‑3‑26)
An ordinance would establish an 11‑member advisory commission tasked with monitoring and forecasting Warwick’s revenues, expenses, and debt, and offering recommendations on efficiency and capital spending. The commission would include the city and school finance directors, several council and school‑committee chairs, and six residents with financial or business expertise.
Meetings would be held quarterly, with reports presented to the council before budget hearings. Councilman Gebhart expressed support for stronger fiscal oversight but raised concerns about potential duplication of work already performed by the council’s Finance Committee and the difficulty of sustaining volunteer boards.
Other agenda items
- Apponaug apartments and Willow Street (PCO‑27‑26, PCO‑28‑26): Final approval is sought for a zone change for the apartment building at 3033 Post Road and a related request to allocate portions of Willow Street to developer Long Range, LLC. The city would retain a permanent easement for utilities, and the developer would pay the appraised land value.
- Appointments and bids: The council will consider appointments to the City Clerk position (Tara Booth) and two seats on the Sewer Board of Review. A bid package (PCR‑114‑26) totaling about $147,000 covers fire‑hose testing, snow‑plow blades, dive masks for underwater rescue, firefighting helmets, and modest increases to contracts for emergency‑vehicle lighting, police uniforms, and overhead‑door repairs.
- River Street overnight parking ordinance and additional stop‑sign proposals: Final votes are scheduled.
High‑school facilities clarification
Councilman Gebhart addressed rumors that the new Pilgrim and Toll Gate High Schools would lack athletic fields or lose a gym. The School Building Committee confirmed each school will have a collegiate‑size three‑court gym with 800 fixed seats, an indoor walking track, exercise studio, weight room, wrestling room, and full locker and coaching facilities.
Both schools will also feature a stadium with a turf field, competition‑level track, dedicated field‑event space, and a grass practice field. Baseball and softball fields remain a high priority but are unfunded pending future budget allocations.
Mayor Picozzi has proposed a centralized baseball/softball complex at Mickey Stephens, estimated at over $20 million and likely requiring state, federal, bonding, and public‑private partnership funding. Some residents prefer individual on‑campus fields for each high school.
Community involvement
The Warwick Land Trust is recruiting new members for hands‑on stewardship of the city’s open spaces, including trail maintenance and community clean‑ups. Interested residents are encouraged to reply to Councilman Gebhart’s email for a connection.
Residents are invited to submit questions or comments before the Oct. 19 meeting, allowing the council to hear community input ahead of the vote.
Original reporting: Warwick Post — read the source article.
