Rules of the Warwick Democratic City Committee are pretty straight forward: It takes 21 of the 81 members to establish a quorum.

Yet while the rules are straight forward, it hasn’t been easy to establish a quorum in recent months. At the December meeting that failed to have a quorum, Ward 6 Councilwoman Donna Travis angrily expressed her frustration to those who had shown up and like her realized they couldn’t officially take any action. The more Travis talked about the situation, the hotter she got.

Then came the New Year and the party’s reorganization meeting set for last Wednesday at the William Shields Post in Conimicut. The weather forecast of winds and rain was ugly, yet the Friars would be playing in Providence and other events were happening.

After her December outburst, Travis was asked if she might take the party’s reins. It wasn’t a job Travis was angling to get or one she has ever held. The party scuttlebutt was that Ward 3 Councilman Timothy Howe wanted the job and he would be nominated Thursday.

However, when Travis showed up at the meeting, Howe wasn’t present and according to reports word had been put out that the meeting was canceled. There was no such official word. Committee Chair Kim Wineman was present and, as it turned out, enough members to establish a quorum.

Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur asked committee officers if any of them had taken actions to cancel the meeting. None said they had. Wineman proceeded with the meeting agenda. Then it was time to elect officers. Ward 5 Councilman Ladouceur nominated Travis as chair. There were no other nominations for the position.

“No one said anything,” recalls Travis.

Travis is excited by her basically unsolicited new role. She envisions building a team and holding meetings where the party not only consistently has a quorum but where invited guests discuss community issues, new committee members are introduced and collectively they take on projects for the betterment of Warwick.

“I want to get out there and be doing things,” said Travis. She is the council’s senior member having represented the ward for 26 years and holding various positions including that of Council President.

The Warwick Democratic City Committee is made up of the nine committee members from each of the city’s nine wards. Democrats hold all Warwick’s local and state elective seats with the exception of two – the mayor’s post held by independent Frank Picozzi and the Senate District 29 seat held by Republican Anthony DeLuca.

Would Travis be putting together an effort to win the mayor’s seat in 2024?

Travis answered she’s just getting under way and is not focused on “the corner office.”

“We’ve got two years to go before we worry about that,” she said.

Although he wasn’t in attendance, City Council President Steve McAllister said Tuesday, “I’m pleased with the pick.” He agreed with Travis’ aim to revitalize the city committee. “Let’s start making some noise.”

Asked about Howe, McAllister said he knew McAllister was interested in the party post, adding, “I thought he was going to be nominated.”

Howe confirmed Tuesday that he was interested in chairing the party. He said some elderly members of his ward committee had inquired if there would be a meeting because of the foul weather. He didn’t think the meeting would happen. He would like to see the party reactivated, noting that Covid and the shutdown had made it difficult. Had he been elected chair he would have looked to build a team.

Referring to the outcome of the election, he said, “so there it is, we have a team.”

Also elected as party officers are: Jeff Ursillo, vice chair; Gary Jarvis, second vice-chair; Daniel O’Toole, treasurer; Patricia Gomm, secretary and Barry Tedder, recording secretary.