I began my public service activities as a member of the 2001-2002 Charter Review Commission for Jamestown that presented 34 Amendments/updates, all getting approval at the ballot box.
Many of the changes were updating the old language to be gender neutral but the most significant change that has had a major improvement to our governing was adding TERM LIMITS for all Boards, Commissions and Committees.
My continuous attendance as an observer at a wide range of Town Committees led to additional appointments to the Charter Review Commission in 2008, 2011 and 2020.
In 2004 I was honored to be appointed by the Town Council to represent Jamestown on the Board of Directors of QDC ( Quonset Development Commission) that was responsible for development of the
Quonset Business Park where I also served on the Strategic Planning Committee and Governance Committee. I was reappointed in 2007 serving a total of 6 years which is the maximum term limit.
Throughout my QDC service, I fulfilled my charge to prevent the establishment of a
container port which would ruin the enjoyment of the bay we treasure in Jamestown.
I've participated in local elections as a candidate and recruited others to step forward and run for office, preventing several unopposed elections.
I served a three year term on the Jamestown School Committee including the SELAC (Special Education Local Advisory Committee) and Contract Negotiation Committee. As part of the OPEB debt sub-committee, we implemented a plan that saved Jamestown nearly $6 million dollars of long term funding obligations.
I have previously served as President of the Jamestown Shores Association and on the Board of the Conanicut Island Art Association. I participated in the Friends of the Community Center renovation project, the Jamestown Battery Dedication and the committee to purchase the Jamestown Concert Piano.
As a lifelong entrepreneur, I started my first business while attending Roger Williams Junior College (now University), where I majored in business management and minored in political science.
In the late 70’s, an interest in forest preservation led me to establish The Historical Ecological Land Preservation Group
(The HELP Group) in order to preserve and protect the historic Singleton Farm and its 800 acres of forest that border Wallum Lake in Northern Rhode Island.
IN 1984 my wife Cheryl and I launched
ShopTech Industrial Software to provide business management computer systems for job shops and make-to-order manufacturers. We truly enjoyed helping our clients, from 5 employees up to 500, conquer the challenges of replacing their paper based management procedures with sate-of-the-art integrated computer systems.
When the explosive growth in the technology industry ended, consolidations, mergers and acquisitions brought us to a decision point sooner than anticipated. After sixteen years of exciting challenges and 12-hour workdays, we sold ShopTech to E2 Systems and pledged to “slow down” and enjoy living in the Newport/Jamestown paradise.
In addition to my activities with government service, my trial retirement period morphed into seven years of volunteering around town for various non-profits, renovating our home in the Shores, a little technology consulting, reporting for a local newspaper and dabbling in a few web based ventures.
In 2009 my growing concern for the low participation in local government led me to launch
On The Record Media that created an Open Government Video Project for Newport County as an experiment using new media technology to provide citizens with busy lifestyles access to On-line, On-Demand, 24/7 video recordings of local "governing" in action.
Over several years we nurtured The Project starting with the Jamestown Record followed by the Newport Record and shortly after the Portsmouth Record, Middletown Record and Tiverton Record.
After 5 years of activity and a significant amount of success, in 2014 The Project was finished and has become the foundation of an internet broadcast consulting service that delivers low cost technology for municipalities throughout the area.
We're proud that
The Project was an inspiration for many other towns that have since followed our lead and also provide On-Demand videos for their citizens and we're very proud that in 2013 the State Legislature approved Capital TV's expansion into
On Demand videos for their meetings at the State House.
