ADV OM 99-02 (1999).

• Case Date: March 11, 1999
• Court: Rhode Island

Rhode Island Attorney General Opinions 1999. ADV OM 99-02 (1999). State of Rhode IslandDepartment of the Attorney GeneralADV OM 99-02 (1999)ADV OM 99-02 TOWN OF WEST WARWICKMarch 11, 1999Attorney Susan E. McGuirlProvidence, RI 02903Re: TOWN OF WEST WARWICKAdvisory Opinion on the Open Meetings Act; OM 99-03 Dear Ms. McGuirl: We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 5, 1999. You are the Solicitor for the Town of West Warwick and, in that capacity, you are requesting the Department of the Attorney General to render an advisory opinion to the West Warwick Town Council ("Town Council") on the Open Meetings Act. In your letter you relate that on March 18, 1999 the West Warwick Town Council intends to convene a Special Town Council Meeting at which the Narragansett Indian Tribe will submit their proposal to the Town Council for a gambling casino to be located in West Warwick. This is not a public hearing but, rather, a "Special Town Council Meeting". You further relate that the Town Council originally scheduled this meeting for February 25, 1999 at the West Warwick Senior Center. The Town Council rescheduled the meeting to March 18, 1999 in order to relocate it to the West Warwick High School Auditorium. Your letter relates that the primary reason for the change in venue was to accommodate a larger number of people. Pursuant to the Fire Marshall, the legal capacity of the High School Auditorium is 700 people. Attorney Susan McGuirl Advisory Opinion - OM 99-03 March 11, 1999 Page Two It is the Town Council's understanding that: . . . any Resolution adopted by the Town at this juncture must first be forwarded to the legislature at which time West Warwick would seek permission from the legislature to place the question on the next general election ballot. Accordingly, [you contend that] the matter before the Town Council on March 18th does not involve the state as a whole. It is an initial presentation to be made to the "host" community. In the event that the Town Council determines that the presentation is a viable and feasible plan, a request would be made to place the issue on a state-wide referendum, then, of course, further discussion would become a state-wide matter. At that point, most certainly the involvement of the entire Rhode Island citizenry would be required prior to the general election. In light of the foregoing set of...