Effective and Responsive Leadership
ELECTION COUNTDOWN
We are spotlighting our current elected officials and candidates. They’re serving our town, but they’re also just fellow neighbors and community members!
Jim Palmisicano, who is serving as Richmond Town Councilor and will be running again next year. Jim has been a huge advocate for economic growth in Richmond, and had started the Richmond Investment in Commercial Health (RICH) Task Force to work across town committees and the business community.
But Jim is also a husband and a father. His son is a Chariho student, and his daughter is a recent Chariho graduate. Jim’s day job is working with international clients, if it can be called a day job – the time zones he has to work across mean he’s talking with folks at all hours. And, Jim speaks German, French, Spanish, and Italian with varying degrees of fluency! As a member of the Rhode Island Dahlia Society he is an avid dahlia grower, a 30+ year student of the martial arts, and makes an incredible French macaron!
Dan Madnick is serving as a Richmond Town Councilor and will run for the same position next year. Dan has many goals for the remainder of his term, but the top priority is driving improvements to town operations and staffing. This will balance resident services and budgetary constraints. He also works hard engaging various entities to facilitate development opportunities. Dan believes this will improve infrastructure for businesses. To make government more efficient, he continues to advocate for overhauling town ordinances. Dan believes simplification and clarity will improve the life of citizens and grow businesses. His focus areas for this are entertainment, business licensing, door-to-door sales policies, and use of town property.
While serving in his post as councilor, Dan continues to be a loving husband and father of two. His oldest son attends Richmond elementary school and his youngest will be joining the school next year. Dan’s family is active in Richmond’s Cub Scout Pack 1. He (as an Eagle Scout) and his wife are engaged in the organization’s leadership. Professionally, Dan leads a structural engineering team at General Dynamics Electric Boat, working on next-generation submarine platforms and solving complex engineering challenges. At home, he enjoys the outdoors and working on projects with his kids while supporting his wife’s professional career. Dan’s commitment to his work, family and community demonstrate why he is an asset to our town government as a thoughtful and engaging leader.
Mark Reynolds is serving as Richmond Town Council Vice President, and will be running for re-election in 2026. He’s helped to push for strong town infrastructure, and had used his critical eye during budget reviews to make sure that the town budget was developed responsibility, digging deeply into most of the budget line items. He’s also served the town before as chair of the Tax Assessment Board of Review and Richmond Town Moderator, and he brings both perspectives with him to his Town Council work.
Mark also has a wife and three kids. His wife teaches and also serves as a school committee member (we’ll have more on her later in a future spotlight!). He works as a lawyer in Providence, which helps with a set of experiences that occasionally comes in handy with his Town work! Two of his kids are Chariho graduates, and the third is a student at the Chariho Middle School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 1. Mark is an avid scout leader with the troop, and involved in a host of other activities across the town.
Sam Wilcox, Richmond Town Council President, now serving her second consecutive term. Sam has been a strong advocate for our human services department, the municipal court, road repairs, and improvements to the Senior and 100% Disabled Tax Exemption. She’s also deeply committed to keeping Richmond rural and organizes or attends litter clean upstairs frequently.
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In her early twenties, she moved to Exeter, drawn by the natural beauty of Arcadia, while raising two children as a single mother and pursuing a degree in paralegal studies. After years of balancing work, school, and family, she got married, and purchased a home in Richmond eight years ago, choosing the area for its outdoor recreation and strong schools. She has since continued to build her career and now works as a Litigation Paralegal.
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Sam is a hard worker and 2026 will be a busy year for her! In addition to serving as Town Council President, she’s chairing Richmond’s 250th Commission, celebrating her 10-year wedding anniversary, cheering on her oldest child as he graduates from Chariho Tech’s electrician program, and running for State Senate!
When she’s not working, she likes to relax by spending time with her family or spending time outdoors; planting RI native flowers, hiking with her dog Chase, geocaching (500+ finds!), or at the pottery wheel.
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Jess Purcell, was reelected in 2024. She’s a strong proponent of Chariho’s regional strength and ensuring the School Committee puts students first. As a member of the Budget Subcommittee for three years, Jess is committed to informing the public about the budget process to ensure it is transparent and accessible.
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Jess and her husband Shawn are parents of two active kids who are Chariho students. They’re regular attendees and volunteers at local community events, especially those with Scouts or the schools! Jess is a creative who runs her own graphic design business, proud that she started her career with a Career-Tech education in high school.
The Purcell family loves to get outside for adventures on the river or in the woods, all in their Richmond backyard. Out of their seven chickens, everyone has a soft spot for a very cute satin silkie named Puff-Puff.
Karen Reynolds and Karen ran together as Moms for Chariho in 2024, championing strong public schools dedicated to helping all students. As a member of the Chariho Finance Subcommittee, Chariho Building Subcommittee, and the Necessity for School Construction Subcommittee, she’s keenly engaged in the future of Chariho schools and students, and making sure we follow a path that makes the Chariho district better for each successive generation. (And her Facebook site is a great place to stay up to speed on current Chariho activities!)
Karen and Mark Reynolds (a Richmond Town Councilor) have been married for 30 years. They are the proud parents of 3 sons. Two are Chariho graduates and their youngest is currently in the 8th grade. As a middle school teacher Karen knows a lot about kids in the middle grades. She’s been teaching Social Studies at Exeter-West Greenwich for 31 years. Mrs. Reynolds shares her love for history by challenging her students to think and write critically, understand history from multiple points of view, and gain a practical understanding of civics.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, taking Rosie (the Riveter) for long hikes, cheering her son on during soccer games, reading, and she’d like to do a little more gardening this coming summer.
