Rhode Island
McKee, Warwick officials at odds over local appointments to Airport Corporation board • Rhode Island Current
A plan by city officials in Warwick to get local representation on the board of the quasi government agency overseeing Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport has hit some turbulence with Gov. Dan McKee’s office.
Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi said when he last met with McKee in December, the governor was all in on a bill sponsored by Rep. Joseph McNamara, a Warwick Democrat, to let the mayor have one appointment to the Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s (RIAC) Board of Directors.
Proposal to resolve dispute between Warwick and T.F. Green officials is now grounded
But as the House Corporations Committee heard testimony on the bill March 26, the governor’s legal team submitted a letter of opposition to the legislation.
“I feel that the Governor’s argument DID kill the legislation and was meant to,” Picozzi said in an emailed statement Monday. “That is why they presented it to the House committee in the 11th hour without informing me, so that I didn’t have an opportunity to challenge it.”
Under McNamara’s bill, the Warwick designee would replace one of the current directors up for reappointment this year. Three board members have terms set to expire in June: Jonathan Roberts and Jeffrey Bogosian, both of whom were appointed in 2020, and Board Secretary Christopher Little, who was appointed in 2015.
The board does have one member from the City of Warwick, John Justo, who was appointed in 2023.
“But he wasn’t appointed by the mayor, he was appointed by the governor,” McNamara said in an interview Monday morning.
Companion legislation is sponsored in the Senate by Warwick Democrats Mark McKenney and Matthew LaMountain.
At issue for the governor’s office is the constitutionality of McNamara’s proposal. McKee’s executive counsel, Claire Richards, wrote to the House Corporations Committee March 26 that only the governor has the power to appoint members to any board, commission, or quasi-public entity of the state that exercises executive power.
McKee spokesperson Laura Hart said Monday the governor still supports the concept that Warwick should have a voice on the airport corporation’s Board of Directors. The office just doesn’t support McNamara’s legislation.
“As always, our office is willing to continue the discussion with the Legislature and the city to ensure a constitutional path forward for having municipal representation on the board,” Hart said in an email Monday afternoon.
The airport corporation also opposes McNamara’s legislation.
McNamara disagrees with the administration’s assessment. He argues the 2004 amendment was meant to prevent legislative appointments to boards with executive power.
Should his legislation pass, McNamara said appointment power would still lie with the executive branch — just with one pick at the local level.
“This is not a separation of powers issue — it’s not even close,“ McNamara said. “The fact of the matter is, when the Airport Corporation was formed, it did have a representative appointed by the mayor of Warwick.”
Indeed, Warwick’s mayor had the power to make appointments to the airport’s board of directors as recently as 2011. But the state that year passed legislation designating all board members were to be nominated by the governor.
And the airport board would not be alone in allowing local appointments. Along with six members chosen by the governor, the statute creating the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) gives North Kingstown two board members, as well as one each from Jamestown and East Greenwich.
Legislation forming the Quonset Development Corporation board was passed in 2004, the same year as the constitutional change.
“It is a highly dubious argument that the General Assembly would pass a statute creating a QDC board that violates the current language — in the very same legislative session it was proposing that constitutional language to the voters,” Warwick City Solicitor Michael Ursillo wrote in a memo to Picozzi April 1.
Even with officials at odds, McNamara said he’s hopeful there’s room for compromise. One idea, he said, is to make the appointment a collaboration between the governor and Warwick mayor.
“I think that can be worked out,” McNamara said. “The fact that the airport has such a tremendous impact on this city, it is important you have a board that reflects that.”
McNamara’s bill is co-sponsored by all six of Warwick’s State House representatives, including Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi. In an emailed statement Monday evening, Shekarchi said he plans to find middle ground with the governor.
“My goal is to pass House legislation that will satisfy the concerns of all parties because it is important that Warwick’s mayor has an appointment to the RIAC board,” Shekarchi said.
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island District Looks to Assess Course Quality; Pa. System Seeks World Languages Program – Market Brief
Course quality assessments, world language materials, social studies instruction. A Rhode Island district is looking for course quality assurance assessments, while a Pennsylvania school system seeks exploratory world language programming. In addition, a district in Louisiana is in the market for social studies instruction.
Active/upcoming solicitations for goods/services
Providence Public School District, R.I.
Focus: Course quality assurance assessments
Students: 24,000
Deadline: June…
Rhode Island
NMEA readies for 2024 conference in Rhode Island | Boating Industry
The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) recently announced that its 2024 Conference & Expo will take place at the Omni Hotel in Providence, R.I. from September 16-20. The event remains a pivotal platform for the marine electronics industry, featuring extensive technical training sessions, educational tracks and networking opportunities designed to advance industry knowledge and business growth.
Attendees will be able to engage in over 20 manufacturer-specific technical training sessions and more than 10 educational tracks covering a range of topics from business management to advanced installation techniques. The manufacturer expo hall will showcase the latest marine electronic innovations with
expanded hours for 2024. Receptions will offer additional networking opportunities on the first two evenings and the NMEA Product of Excellence Awards Banquet is scheduled for Thursday evening.
“I am thrilled to see the NMEA Conference & Expo heading to Providence, RI, a hub for marine industry professionals in the Northeast. As we continue to rotate the location of our event nationwide, it enables greater access and participation from our diverse membership,” Mark Reedenauer, NMEA President & Executive Director, said. “This year, we’re excited to once again offer in-person technical training directly from manufacturers, some of which is exclusively available only at the NMEA event. We invite industry professionals from all sectors to join us for this unparalleled training and networking opportunity.”
Registration for the conference will open in late May 2024, with options for full-week or single-day passes. NMEA Dealer, Master Dealer, Boat Builder, and Trade members receive a complimentary registration as part of their membership benefits.
NMEA will also offer the following full-day marine electronics installer training courses. A different registration fee applies for these day-long classes:
- Basic NMEA Installer Training (MEI), Monday, Sept. 16
- Basic NMEA 2000 Installer Training, Tuesday, Sept. 17
- Advanced NMEA 2000 Installer Training, Wednesday, Sept. 18
- Advanced NMEA Installer Training (AMEI), Thursday, Sept. 19
- Advanced NMEA 2000 Installer Training, Friday, Sept. 20
More information and a detailed preliminary schedule of all 2024 Conference & Expo events will be added and available on the NMEA website in the coming months.
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