You’re listening to the Westerly Sun’s podcast, where we talk about the best local events, new job postings, obituaries, and more.

First, a bit of Rhode Island trivia. Today’s trivia is brought to you by Perennial. Perennial’s new plant-based drink “Daily Gut & Brain” is a blend of easily digestible nutrients crafted for gut and brain health. A convenient mini-meal, Daily Gut & Brain” is available now at the CVS Pharmacy in Wakefield.

Now for some trivia. Did you know that Rhode Island native, Bertrand Shurtleff was a pro football offensive lineman who spent three seasons in the NFL with the Providence Steam Roller and the Boston Bulldogs after playing for Brown University? Later he was a professional wrestler, teacher, public speaker, and author.

Now for our feature story:

Members of the Town Council have rejected a request seeking to have each of Chariho’s three towns pay for a third of the permit fees for the construction of the Maddie Potts Fieldhouse at Chariho Athletic Stadium.

Hopkinton is now the second of the three Chariho towns to refuse requests to reimburse the Maddie Potts Foundation for fees already paid.

Council Vice President Sharon Davis and councilors Scott Bill Hirst and Bob Marvel all voted to deny the request during a meeting on Monday evening. Council President Steven Moffitt Jr. and Councilor Michael Geary were unable to attend Monday’s meeting.

Each of the three council members expressed different concerns with the matter and who should pay, but all three were in agreement that either Chariho or the Town of Richmond should be responsible for sorting out any confusion and settling the matter. The fees were paid for by the Maddie Potts Foundation after Richmond officials said the town’s policies did not allow for it to waive building permit fees.

Davis, who led the meeting in Moffitt’s absence said: “When the motion was approved to move forward with this project, it was made clear that there would be no use of public funds on this project. Paying for this would constitute use of public funds. As far as I am concerned, the foundation was supposed to pay for everything, and that was what everyone agreed to. That’s how it should remain.”

All three officials, who spoke against the measure before voting to deny the request, said they have nothing but respect and admiration for the Maddie Potts Foundation and what the organization is doing. They said volunteers and family have been wonderful in working with the towns and providing nonprofit services for the school community.

The concern, however, was that perhaps the town should not have charged fees for a project that will improve the value of public property, or the foundation and Chariho School District should have agreed that the district would pay those fees before getting underway on the project.

“My concern is that the school district won’t pay these fees and they have been put on the town, but this project directly supports the students and the school system,” Marvel said. “We have an opportunity here that is worth it, but I think the School Committee should be willing to front money for this.”

Inflation and building costs have skyrocketed since preliminary estimates were provided, which led to a 100% increase in building costs. When the project kicked off, Maddie's mother, Stephanie Potts, said the foundation was looking at an estimated $600,000 build. The projections now call for a $1.2 million price tag to complete the work.

For more about the coronavirus pandemic, the recovery, and the latest on all things in and around Westerly, head over to westerlysun.com.

Today we’re remembering the life of Ralph “Tony” O'Connell, M.D., husband, father, grandfather, friend, psychiatrist, and educator.

Born in Manhattan, he grew up in the Bronx and Larchmont. Married to Jane O'Connell for 58 years, he was a genuine and devoted New Yorker. He was intellectual, with a dry and sometimes irreverent sense of humor, a steadfast faith, a curious mind, and a generous heart. A lifelong sailor, he taught sailing at the Devon Yacht Club in Amagansett. He was a music lover who enjoyed opera, classical music, and The Beatles, and who enthralled many generations of Burke and O'Connell children with his seemingly effortless ability to play piano by ear.

A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and an M.D. from Cornell University Medical College, he received a fellowship at Oxford University Medical College and completed a surgical internship and psychiatric residency at Saint Vincent's Hospital where he was chief resident. He was a captain in the United States Army Medical Corps and Chief of Neuropsychiatry at Ireland Army Hospital in Fort Knox. After residency, he was vice chair and clinical director of Psychiatry at St. Vincent's until 1996 when he was appointed Provost and Dean of New York Medical College, where he had been a faculty member since 1980. Prior to his association with New York Medical College, he was Associate Professor at Cornell University Medical College.

He published extensively in scientific journals and authored many book chapters and papers and served as the editor of Comprehensive Psychiatry.

He was a member and president of many societies, clubs, associations, non-profits, and charities. 

Tony was active at the Misquamicut Club in Watch Hill and enjoyed swimming and sailing his beloved "Aunt Dolly" in the Atlantic and walking on the beach. He made a tradition of swimming on Memorial Day, and sometimes New Year's Day, "to make sure your heart was working."

He will be remembered for his sense of humor and intellect, his values, and finely tuned moral compass, his love of dogs, and all things family.

Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Tony’s life.

That’s it for today, we’ll be back next time with more! Also, remember to check out our sponsor Perennial, Daily Gut & Brain, available at the CVS on Main St. in Wakefield!

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