Town Council Candidates Pt. 1: Post Road, Rolling Greens and Quonset

Thirteen of the 14 candidates for North Kingstown Town Council took to the stage Wednesday evening for the first night of candidate forums, sponsored by the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce and NorthEast Independent. Candidates answered more than a dozen questions during the two-hour forum, ranging from boosting business in North Kingstown to handling lawsuits to wind turbines.

The candidates universally agreed that emphasis should be on revitalizing the distressed Post Road Corridor. For many, the upcoming addition of sewers to the area will be a huge factor once the project is completed.

“Sewers are going to make a huge difference,” said Republican Carol Hueston, who currently sits on the council. “It’s hard attracting business, especially restaurants, to town because of the sewer issue.”

Candidates had mixed views on developing the controversial intersection of Route 2/102. Republican Mark Hawkins, who is also running for Town Council, is proposing a village center at his property on Rolling Greens – mixing residential and commercial spaces.

“The project has taken four years to get off the ground,” said Republican candidate Kerry McKay, of longtime North Kingstown business McKay’s Furniture. “I think that’s unfair.”

The project has come under fire from residents who want to see the area preserved and disagree with the spread of development in the largely rural area west of Route 4.

“This is Pandora’s box and as soon as we start building out Exeter toward, we’ve lost the character of North Kingstown,” said Independent candidate Kevin Maloney, who is among a group of residents that has opposed the project.

“Development must be for the benefit of the town and for the benefit of the developer,” said Independent Colin O’Sullivan. “Not for one or the other. It must be both.”

O’Sullivan and other also felt that development should be concentrated on Post Road, and not creating new village centers.

“[Post Road] is distressed,” said Democrat Tracey McCue. “It is looking like Detroit. It’s not fair to businesses who have been sitting there for 20 years through this to create another commercial entity in town.”

For Independent Dorman Hayes, who has run numerous unsuccessful campaigns for Town Council since 1998, believes that return to an agricultural economy would alleviate many economic woes for North Kingstown.

Attracting business to Post Road has been slow going over the past few years. Most candidates believed that the town’s process to onboard businesses needs to be streamlined. Republican Brent Cleaveland cited Quonset Development Corporation’s site readiness program where businesses can go from “plan to shovel” in 60 days.

“I think that would be a good plan to follow,” said Cleaveland, who stated he was impressed with QDC after a recent tour of the business park – calling it a “fine-tuned machine.

Independent Richard Lamere was a bit less impressed with QDC, specifically regarding its relation to nearby neighborhoods. According to Lamere, residents in the Shore Acres neighborhood feel “neglected” by the business park and feel they should have access to the park and Route 403 highway. Prior to QDC taking over operations of the former Navy base, residents in that area had access to the park through a gate at Circuit Drive which has since been closed to traffic. (The gate has been open recently due to sewer construction on Camp Avenue.)

Hawkins, McCue and Democrat Richard Welch all expressed their sentiment that Quonset’s Gateway shops are negatively impacting business on Post Road. In recent years, Subway and Verizon Wireless) have relocated from Post Road to Quonset.

“I expected the Gateway would empty Post Road,” said Welch. “It has.”

The second night of candidate forums is Thursday, starting at 7 p.m. at the North Kingstown High School auditorium with the four candidates for School Committee. At 8 p.m., candidates for the General Assembly and State Senate will hit the stage.

Click here for part two of the council candidates' forum.