The Town Council on Monday couldn’t avoid frustrating an already frustrated public even more. The meeting was held the day after the 30-year “moped settlement agreement” expired on July 31. Renegotiating that agreement is underway, but the conversations are happening behind closed doors as litigation is ongoing between the parties. There are currently five mopedrental businesses on the island, each allowed to rent up to 34 mopeds at a time.“After consulting with our counsel,” said First Warden André Boudreau, “there are certain things we can say in public at this time. I would say the statement: ‘the Town Council’s highest priority with respect to the mopeds is the health and safety of the community. The settlement agreement restricts the ability of the town to protect the community,’ and quite frankly,I think this is unacceptable.”Allowing the agreement to expire means that the town may go to the R.I. General Assembly and make a case for changing the original legislation allowing for rental mopeds on Block Island. One allowance granted under the legislation is that unlike moped riders on the mainland, riding their own machines, renters are not required to have a motorcycle license from the Division of Motor Vehicles.Councilor
