The below letter was sent out to the Narragansett Town Council, the Narragansett Town Manager, The Town Building Planner, the RI Governor, the top administrators for the RIDEM, the Providence Journal, the Boston Globe, and our local news channels 10 and 12. I also sent it to an attorney who works for the RI Attorney General's Office.
Dear Governmental Leaders, RIDEM Officials, and News Media,
While the below article was not published this week in the Narragansett Times, I feel it is very newsworthy, and it is of great value for all those who will be making a decision on the proposal for the 5-acre parcel of Galilee to read it and reflect on its content. I advocated tirelessly for the State-of-the-Art Library in Narragansett when faced with opposition by 3 of our former Town Council Members by presenting a sound rationale on needing a new library. I feel who ultimately gets control of the lease of the 5-acre parcel in Galilee is of much greater importance than the library as the proposal that is selected for Galilee will have long term consequences that can either forever help Galilee or hurt Galilee. The Town of Narragansett Proposal is the only proposal that will create a viable plan for Galilee. If we had a vote by the residents of Narragansett today, it would be evident, our residents would support the Town of Narragansett Proposal. Many who were against the library noted there was a silent majority who were against the library, but when the vote for the new library was retaken, it was evident there was a vocal majority rather than a silent majority. In lieu of an election year, I created a petition online that will allow people to place their virtual signature to show their support of the Town's Proposal. It becomes evident when looking at the number of people who responded to the petition, there is overwhelming support for the Town of Narragansett's proposal. There is no silent majority against the Town's proposal. I therefore urge all those who will be making the ultimate decision on selecting the proposal for the 5-acre parcel to recognize your legacy will be forever remembered to be either helping or hurting our Gem of a Village: Galilee. Your decision will have everlasting consequences. All of us who support the Town's plan are hoping and praying those in authority will select the Town's proposal. Thank you to the RIDEM for giving our town additional time for responding to the requested additional information, so our leaders can fine tune our proposal to make it shine out in comparison to the others, as it will make our Gem of a Village shine if it is selected by the RIDEM.
Respectfully Submitted, Dr. Albert Alba
Thank you to our Town Manager, James Tierney for requesting an extension to the deadline to provide updates requested by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) for the Town of Narragansett’s Proposal for the 5-acre parcel in Galilee. The extension was approved by the RIDEM. The extension date is now January 10th, 2022. Procaccianti will also have its lease extended to February 28th, 2022.
It is more important than ever for the Town of Narragansett and all its elected officials and agencies to stand United. The Town of Narragansett’s Proposal is the only viable proposal for Galilee. The Town’s proposal is the only proposal that is a mixed-use development that has been designed to benefit the residents, businesses, fishermen, and tourists.
Our Town’s proposal will allow us to create a consolidated parking garage, a maritime museum with an educational component, a boutique hotel, a recreational area, and store fronts. A tourist center to promote Galilee and Narragansett is also a viable consideration.
Some may argue a fish processing plant would be great to help our fishermen. A fish processing plant will not help our fishermen sell more fish off their boats. It will not help educate people on the harmful effects that have mitigated the fishermen’s bounty due to government interventions such as imposing wind turbines that have hurt and not helped our fishermen. A fish processing plant will not attract more people to visit Galilee. Less people in Galilee will hurt our local businesses, and it will reduce the number of people going to the area that will potentially buy fish off the docks or the area fish markets that support our fishermen. In addition, the 5-acre parcel of land is zoned Galilee Business (GB), not GI, Galilee Industrial, therefore a fish processing plant on that area would be in noncompliance, and if the fish processing plant’s proposal is approved by the RIDEM, the Town of Narragansett will be justified in filing a lawsuit against the RIDEM for recklessly violating the Town’s zoning ordinance. I would like to add, when the Dutch Inn/Lighthouse Inn was fully operational, the fishing industry was much greater than it is today, and no one noted the Dutch Inn/Lighthouse Inn was hurting the fishing industry. We lost our tuna due to the change in our fragile ecosystem, and the number of fishermen in Galilee left the industry as a result of governmental imposed interventions that hurt the fishing industry. Let us not hear any political rhetoric now stating we need a fish processing plant to preserve our fishing industry in Galilee.
We all have seen what Procaccianti has done with its prime location in Galilee these last 10 years. Its current proposal (through PRI X) is in 2 phases. Phase 1 is primarily a parking lot with several small store fronts. Phase 2 is a boutique hotel, BUT contingent upon PRI X being given a 99-year lease and only if it considers the hotel economically feasible. PRI X has stated numerous times that it considers a hotel not economically feasible in Galilee. The PRI X proposal will not welcome input from fishermen as the Town of Narragansett’s proposal would be willing to listen to the fishermen for input. Has Procaccianti shown concern about Galilee? Obviously, no. The evidence is clearly displayed by its neglect of that area these last 10 years. And now, the current proposal by Procaccianti is pretty much just a parking lot with an empty promise of a hotel in the future.
At the Change.Org web site we have close to 2600 signatures that support the Town of Narragansett’s plan that has been endorsed by the Galilee Master Development Plan, the URI Research Plan for Galilee, the Friends of Galilee, and the Narragansett Pier Residents’ Association. Also, members of the Galilee Advisory Committee such as Drew McGee, Janice Holly, the Narragansett Town Council Liaison, Dr. Ewa Dzwierzynski, and myself all fully support the Town of Narragansett’s Proposal. Please reach out to the RIDEM, Attorney Gregory Schultz, and the State Properties Committee to let them know you fully support the Town of Narragansett’s Proposal. We do not want Galilee to be primarily a stopping ground to send people over to Block Island. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Town of Narragansett to take over the lease in Galilee, so our Gem of a Village, Galilee, will shine rather than be forever tarnished; as what we have seen Procaccianti has done to Galilee in its lease over the last 10 years.
This paper is written in memory of my dad, Albert Alba, Sr. who advocated on how to improve Narragansett for its residents, businesses, and all those who visit.
Dr. Albert Alba