Dear Governor McKee, Friends of Galilee, Elected, and Appointed Officials of Narragansett, the State of Rhode Island Attorney General, the Director of the RIDEM, Legal Counsel for RIDEM, and the State Properties Committee. 

     Please see the below link of the video I created on the tour of the Seamen's Institute and a glimpse of the Sailing Museum.    I strongly believe a building such as the Seamen's Church Institute and a Maritime Museum would be a good fit for Galilee.    Buildings such as the Seamen's Church Institute and a Maritime Museum can provide affordable housing, housing for students off season, housing for fishermen in need for an overnight stay or housing between trips or if a trip is cancelled due to inclement weather, a cafe, a convenient store, an event room, and a maritime educational center would be a great combination for our Gem of a Village of Galilee.    A parking garage as outlined by the Town of Narragansett Proposal will also afford parking using only a small footprint of the overall 5-acre parcel.    Please let me know what you think of the video tour.   We do not have to have all of the above contained in one building, but a combination of buildings can be considered as it would be a mixed-use development as outlined by the Galilee Master Plan Agreement and was supported by the University of Rhode Island Galilee - Galilee: A Vision for a Resilient Port – Department of Landscape Architecture (uri.edu).     The Sailing Museum was a lot of fun, as it was very educational, interactive, and interesting.   I could only video the museum for a short time, but the Director of the Museum gave me her card, and she would be willing to meet with any of us.    Also, the Director of the Seamen's Institute told me she would be willing to speak to anyone from our town and provide an additional tour if needed.    The Executive Director of the Seamen's Church Institute is Ann Souder, and she can be reached at 401-8847-4260, Cell 401-439-6377, and the Executive Director of the Sailing Museum is Heather Ruhsam, and she can be reached at 401-324-5761 or her cell 323-481-9050.  Here is a link to the video:  https://youtu.be/irRq4fos7sY
  
      I am sending this email to the RIDEM Director Terrance "Terry" Gray and Legal Counsel, Mary Kay for their consideration and review.  The RFP generated by the RIDEM notes it wanted proposals that would be good for the State, the Town of Narragansett, and Commercial Fishermen.     I cannot in my wildest dreams see how designating 2 of the 3 parcels to Procaccianti - Paolino Developers would be a good fit for the State, the Town of Narragansett, or Commercial Fishermen.    In addition, I found it ironic the RIDEM was critical of the Town of Narragansett's Proposal because it said it was not zoned for residential housing, however, in Zone GB, a residential mixed use such as a bed and breakfast can be used in zone GB.   I would add, in Zone GB, a parking lot is NOT ALLOWED without a Special Use Permit for which the Town of Narragansett has not issued.    In addition, myself and EVERYONE I talk to shake their head in disbelief that the RIDEM is keeping its association with Procaccianti-Paolino as they have breached their lease agreement and they purposely abandoned the Lighthouse Inn/Dutch Inn thereby creating a health and an environmental hazard as some or all of the hotel may not be salvageable.   

 In addition, people in Block Island who I have spoken to are outraged that the RIDEM has not spoken out about the illegal expansion of Champlin's Marina as determined by the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office.     The Great Salt Pond Committee has determined the illegal expansion of Champlin's Marina will hurt the ecosystem of the Great Salt Pond, yet the RIDEM has failed to speak out in opposition to the expansion.  

     Why is the RIDEM failing to speak out on the illegal expansion of Champlin's Marina that will hurt the environment, and why is the RIDEM allowing Procaccianti - Paolino to illegally operate a parking lot as it is out of compliance with the Town of Narragansett Zoning Ordinance, a parking lot has underutilized valuable land, and the RIDEM rather than charging and prosecuting Procaccainti with reckless abandonment of a hotel on leased land controlled by the RIDEM, the RIDEM has awarded Procaccianti-Paolino with a month to month parking lot lease, so Procaccianti-Paolino can make more money at the expense of the State of Rhode Island and the Town of Narragansett????   

 The  RIDEM needs to do the right thing that is the only ETHICAL ACTION and issue a cease-and-desist order to Procaccianti and Paolino for operating a parking lot illegally on lots zoned GB - Galilee Business where a parking lot is NOT ALLOWED without a special use permit by the Town of Narragansett.    

   The primaries are fast approaching, and I feel RIDEM's actions or lack of actions regarding the illegal expansion of Champlin's Marina and the RIDEM allowing Procaccianti-Paolino to operate an illegal parking lot in Galilee after their gross neglect of the Lighthouse Inn will be a campaign issue.    Any Politician who supports actions that hurt the State, the Town of Narragansett, and its residents are not worthy of reelection.   
 
                               Respectfully Submitted,  Dr. Albert Alba