Westerly council asks state to exempt seasonal beach parking from 7% sales tax and approves water main change order

The Westerly Town Council voted May 18 to ask the town’s state legislative delegation to pursue an exemption from the 7% sales tax the General Assembly placed on short‑term parking, a change that takes effect July 1. Town staff explained the tax would apply to daily parking and seasonal passes, so the resolution asks for relief limited to municipal seasonal beach parking and passes.

The resolution was moved and adopted after a short discussion of when the tax takes effect and which parking products it would affect; a councilor who had already purchased a seasonal pass noted the tax does not apply retroactively to passes bought before July 1.

On infrastructure the council approved a change order to extend the same contractor and rate schedule used on a recent Bowling Lane project to replace water mains on Stonehill Drive, Benny Drive and Eddie Drive. Town staff said funding for the work is already included in the capital budget and that the sequence is timed to allow water main replacement to precede scheduled paving. The manager said the contractor offered to carry forward the same rates, which the council accepted.

Both actions were passed by voice vote at the meeting; councilors said the projects and advocacy resolution are time‑sensitive but routine in nature.