PORTSMOUTH — The Town Council Monday unanimously approved a resolution for two local questions that will appear on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election.

The first asks voters to approve a bond issue for no more than $10 million to build a new police station.

The second question asks voters whether they want to change the way Portsmouth selects its town clerk. 

Currently, the clerk is an elected position. However, voters will be asked to change the wording in the town charter so that the town administrator appoints the clerk, who then must be approved by the council.

Resident Larry Fitzmorris objected to the wording, saying the clerk should be “nominated” by the administrator. Using the word “appointed” leaves the impression that the administrator is the one who has control over the hiring.

Council members, however, said the wording is the same for all other department heads, and that the council has the final say.

“He doesn’t have the power to make the appointment without us approving it,” said Council President Keith Hamilton.

Noise ordinance

In other business Monday night, the council unanimously voted to change the application fee to seek a sound variance to the town’s noise ordinance.

Before Monday’s vote, applicants seeking the variance were charged $50 per day, plus the cost of advertising and notifying abutters of a hearing before the council. For example, if someone applied for a sound variance for a four-day festival, it would cost them $200, plus the additional necessary costs.

The council changed the wording to make it a flat $100 application fee, plus the cost of advertising and notifying abutters.

Council Vice President James Seveney said the old wording made it sound like the $50 was a fine, rather than a fee. 

National Grid opinion

In an unrelated matter, the council voted 5-0 to approve an advisory opinion to the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board regarding National Grid’s request for a variance to the town noise ordinance for its upcoming electrical system overhaul for Aquidneck Island. The vote follows a June 20 public hearing on the variance for National Grid’s $93 million Aquidneck Island Reliability Project.

In its advisory opinion — the Siting Board can choose to ignore it or implement some or all of the recommendations — the council approved the sound variance subject to the following conditions:

• All construction activity “shall generally be performed” between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

• In the event that any construction activity needs to be extended past 9 p.m. on any given day, National Grid must give the town administrator, police chief, fire chief and any affected abutters advance notice of at least 72 hours, if practicable.

• No drilling of rock will take place after 9 p.m.

• No vegetation will be cut after 5 p.m.

Council member David Gleason recused himself from the vote, citing a potential conflict of interest. Council member Michael Buddemeyer was absent from the meeting.

Expansions for oyster farms

The council received word that two aquaculture farms in town have applied to the state Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) to expand their operations.

One of the applications, from Russell Sousa of 355 Riverside St., who wants to double the size of an existing 1.37-acre cage aquaculture lease in Blue Bill Cove, drew concerns from council member Elizabeth Pedro.

“The cove is being taken up by a lot of this,” said Ms. Pedro. “It’s getting a little crowded in the cove. You can’t boat around this.”

However, she noted that the deadline for comments to be submitted to CRMC is July 20, which has hamstrung the council. 

News of the application was posted under the consent agenda, which means no action could be taken Monday under the state Open Meetings Act. In order to form an opinion on the application, the council would have to put it on an agenda for another meeting, said Town Solicitor Kevin Gavin.

“We need to meet as a council to vote on this,” said Ms. Pedro, who expressed frustration with the late notice from the state.

Council member Kevin Aguiar said the town planner and town administrator could relay their thoughts on the application to CRMC, “but that doesn’t help us here.”

John Vitkevich, whose Hummock Avenue home sits along the cove and overlooks the aquaculture farm, but he spoke in favor of Mr. Sousa’s overall operation while acknowledging he hasn’t seen the plans yet.

“He did it in a very nice way so we can get around it,” said Mr. Vitkevich, who applauded Mr. Sousa’s work ethic. “He’s out there every Saturday and Sunday doing his thing.”

The other CRMC application for an expansion was from Chessawanock Island Oyster Co., care of Kyle Hess. Mr. Hess wants to expand an existing three-acre aquaculture lease site in Hog Island Cove by two acres. 

There were no objections voiced Monday to that application.

Coming and going

The council unanimously approved the appointments of Justin B. Perry and James Coll to the Economic Development Committee.

The council accepted with regret the resignation of Mike Minese from the Dog Park Planning Committee.

Island meeting July 30

The council’s next meeting will be its annual gathering at Prudence Island, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 30, at Union Church. Council members will be brought to the island aboard the town’s new police boat.

The council will also meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, back at Town Hall.