Solar Tax Stabilization -In Executive Session?

Last Monday, July 15th, the North Smithfield Town #Council met in closed session to discuss the following:

(Excerpt from the July 15th agenda) V. EXECUTIVE SESSION (CLOSED SESSION) A. RIGL 42-46-5(a) (2) Sessions pertaining to collective bargaining or litigation or work sessions pertaining to the same 1. Iron Mine Hill Road Tax Stabilization Agreement

Aside from the fact that it was discussed in closed session, did you realize by reading the agenda that the Council would be discussing a Tax Stabilization agreement for Green Development’s 400 acre Solar Array? The state’s Open Meetings law requires agenda items sufficiently specify the nature of the business to be discussed. In a nutshell, the reader should be able to figure out the basic elements of who, what and where. In my opinion this description fell short because it didn’t even identify the name of the company requesting a tax stabilization agreement.

I’d also like to point out that on March 19th of last year, Planet Fitness requested a Tax Stabilization Agreement and the agenda for that meeting, unlike last week's agenda, actually named Planet Fitness as the business entity requesting the agreement. Last year's agenda sufficiently specified the nature of the business to be discussed; last week's agenda did not. Below is the open session agenda for the meeting held last March:

V. Public Hearing on request for Tax Stabilization agreement for RISMA-NSD Fitness, LLC D/B/A Planet Fitness – Mr. Nadeau A. Discussion by Council, Vote or Other Action

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