To those of you who live in the Town Farm Road area, I thought you should be made aware of an appeal of a zoning violation hearing happening next Wednesday night:
APPEAL(S) OF VIOLATION OF ZONING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
Applicant: Studley Brothers Inc.
Owner: Same Location of Property: AP 324; Lot 110; Town Farm Road
Zone: RR3 Existing Use: Gravel Bank Proposed Use: Same
Applicant is appealing a Notice of Violation/Cease and Desist from the Coventry Zoning Enforcement Officer.
This was the location of the proposed Boyd Brook development from a few years ago. Here is a link to the full Zoning board agenda:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4234/2008/61779.pdf
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
CONE Tax Treaty
I've received some requests to view the existing tax treaty agreement between CONE and the town of Coventry. Here is the link. Click on the document dated 01/15/1997.
http://www.coventrycitizensalliance.org/card_news.asp
http://www.coventrycitizensalliance.org/card_news.asp
Friday, August 22, 2008
Town Meetings Next Week
Town Council 8/25:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/61736.pdf
School Committee 8/26:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/61647.pdf
Planning Commission: 8/27:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2008/61723.pdf
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/61736.pdf
School Committee 8/26:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/61647.pdf
Planning Commission: 8/27:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2008/61723.pdf
Friday, August 15, 2008
Candidates: KO charter proposals
Interesting Projo article:
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/wb_charter_review_08-15-08_3AB7NJN_v12.3e8587d.html
From the article: "Charter commission member Thaddeus Jendzejec, a Democrat and former council member, said Raptakis served on the town manager search committee and should remember how hard it was to find a candidate with the charter-mandated credentials."
My comments --
1. I think the reason it was hard then and almost impossible now to find qualified Town Manager candidates is that the town has scared them off. After seeing our 19-year TM "retire" and the Town Council hire & fire the next TM in little over one year's time (and then not follow our charter's requirement to search for a replacement), the word is out among the Public Administrator community that Coventry is not a place to build a career, it is inhospitable to TMs, it is to be avoided like the plague.
2. The voters will get a chance to say yes or no to each of the 11 proposed amendments. Please read everything you can about these proposals. Hopefully the town will post the exact wording of each amenment with an explanation for each. Even better, I hope that the town will hold at least one or two public forums on these proposed changes. Remember the bond issue from earlier this year? The town did not do very much to educate the public (except for the efforts of Council members Thompson & Cloutier to get the word out) and the bond issue was voted down. Lesson learned? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/wb_charter_review_08-15-08_3AB7NJN_v12.3e8587d.html
From the article: "Charter commission member Thaddeus Jendzejec, a Democrat and former council member, said Raptakis served on the town manager search committee and should remember how hard it was to find a candidate with the charter-mandated credentials."
My comments --
1. I think the reason it was hard then and almost impossible now to find qualified Town Manager candidates is that the town has scared them off. After seeing our 19-year TM "retire" and the Town Council hire & fire the next TM in little over one year's time (and then not follow our charter's requirement to search for a replacement), the word is out among the Public Administrator community that Coventry is not a place to build a career, it is inhospitable to TMs, it is to be avoided like the plague.
2. The voters will get a chance to say yes or no to each of the 11 proposed amendments. Please read everything you can about these proposals. Hopefully the town will post the exact wording of each amenment with an explanation for each. Even better, I hope that the town will hold at least one or two public forums on these proposed changes. Remember the bond issue from earlier this year? The town did not do very much to educate the public (except for the efforts of Council members Thompson & Cloutier to get the word out) and the bond issue was voted down. Lesson learned? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Attorney general investigates use of longtime public trust funds
It will interesting to see how the AG's investigation turns out.
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/WB_charitable_trust_08-14-08_0SB79MQ_v9.3e840da.html
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/WB_charitable_trust_08-14-08_0SB79MQ_v9.3e840da.html
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Proposed Town Charter Changes
From the KC Times:
Cov. charter changes ballot-bound
Tuesday, 05 August 2008
HANNAH CLARKIN
hclarkin@ricentral.com
COVENTRY — At its meeting on July 28, the Coventry Town Council unanimously approved 11 proposed charter changes to appear on the November ballot.
The proposed changes would affect voting districts, the number of council members, the procedure for filling a school committee vacancy, the qualifications for the position of town manager, probate court responsibilities, financial provisions, the qualifications of the director of finance, the qualifications of the town treasurer, the qualifications of the director of public works, the building inspector, and the municipal court. These changes were unanimously recommended by the Charter Review Commission, chaired by Arthur G. Capaldi, who also serves as the town’s municipal court judge. Leo R. Blais, Jean A. Boulanger, Esq., Kenneth DaSilva, Thaddeus Jendzejec, Victor G. Moffitt, James J. Spearman, Raymond J. Sullivan Jr., and Ronald Wood sat on the commission.
1. Redistricting – relating to Article II, Section 2.05 At the request of the Coventry Board of Canvassers, the Charter Review Commission recommended a charter change to provide for redrawing of district boundary lines every four years —within a year of the gubernatorial election — instead of every two years, as it currently stands. “The board of canvassers’ chairman [Francis J. Perry Jr.] said it was a real difficult thing to do it every two years,” Capaldi said. “A lot of times it doesn’t change a lot in two years; in every four years there may be a change.”
2. Town council – relating to Article III, Section 3.01 Former Coventry Town Council President Jendzejec recommended that the structure of the town council be changed to add two additional members who would be elected at-large from across the town, Capaldi said.“It gives more of a help to the council and it gives two people the ability to see the big picture. It also helps the voters; it gives people not only their own district person to go to, but also these two people,” he said.The additional members would be elected across the town. The two candidates with the most votes would take the positions. Until the charter was created in 1972, all council members were elected at large, Capaldi said.
3. School Committee – relating to Article IV, Section 4.03The commission recommended the charter be changed such that, if a vacancy occurs on the school committee 12 or fewer months before the next regular election, the vacancy will be filled for the unexpired term by the town council. The current limit for the council to appoint to fill a vacancy on the school committee is six or fewer months before the next election.“The board of canvassers said this would make more sense to have a long period of time instead of a short period of time,” Capaldi said. “It’s less costly than running another election.”
4. Town Manager – relating to Article V, Section 5.01 The current charter requires a candidate for town manager to hold, at minimum, a master’s degree in business administration from an accredited college or university and to have spent at least three years as the manager of some city, town, or county; or, that the candidate have a minimum degree in public administration from an accredited college or university with special preference to actual experience in respect to the duties of the office.The commission recommended allowing consideration of town manager candidates who have bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degrees and at least three years experience in administration, not specifically management, in some city, town, or county.“I cannot remember who suggested it,” Capaldi said. “But I personally am in favor of changing — not lessening — the standards, but giving the council more leeway in selection. It’s wise to have a degree [requirement] that is more open — [a candidate] still needs the experience in town government, but it gives the council more freedom.”
5. Probate court – relating to Article VI, Section 6.04This change would allow the probate judge to be represented in his absence by the municipal court judge as well as the town solicitor, Capaldi said. The charter currently limits the duties to the town solicitor.
6. Financial Provision – relating to Article VIII, Section 8.18The commission suggested a change to the charter such that amendments to the capital or operating budgets that raise them by $175,000 would require all-day referendums. Currently, amendments that raise or lower the budgets by $100,000 require a referendum — an amount that is not as large as it was in 1972 when the charter was passed, Capaldi said. The recommended change also includes a clause that would adjust the amount requiring a referendum yearly according to the change in the Consumer Price Index.
7&8. Department of Finance – relating to Article X, Section 10.02 and Section 10.11 The recommended changes in this section were put forth by Moffitt, Capaldi said. One relates to the director of finance and the other to the town treasurer. Under the proposed change, the director of finance shall have knowledge of municipal accounting, finance, taxation, budgeting, financial control and investments and shall have a minimum of a bachelor of arts or science degree in a financial area of study. The charter does not currently mention knowledge of investments or state a degree requirement.“Since the town manager depends on the finance director, the finance director should have some experience in that area — the position should require knowledge in investments,” Capaldi said. “These requirements [are] a little more strict.”The treasurer, under the proposed change, must have a minimum of a bachelor of arts or science degree in the financial area of study. The charter does not currently state a degree requirement for the position of town treasurer, saying only “The town treasurer shall have knowledge of accounting and shall have had experience in budgeting and financial control.”
9. Department of Public Works — relating to Article XI, Section 11.02 Currently, the director of public works must possess at least five years experience in municipal engineering. This proposed charter change would lessen the requirements to run the department of public works. The proposed change would allow a director who had a bachelor of arts or science degree and at least five year’s experience in public works. “Again, this is a lessening of the requirements to open [the position] up to people to run the department of public works that have a lot of experience,” Capaldi said. “Former contractors may have that kind of experience or people who have maybe worked for the department for 25 to 30 years, which is a good thing. I never really liked having just an engineer over everybody.”
10. Department of Building Inspector – relating to Article XI.A The proposed change to this section of the charter would add language indicating that the building inspector is answerable only to the town manager.Currently, Capaldi said, the building inspector is answerable to several different departments. “Under the zoning law, he is the only one who can make decisions of zoning. In the present charter, he is under the town manager but also the town engineer and the planner. He has to make independent decisions, or else there are decisions that are not proper.” Placing the inspector exclusively under the town manager will allow him to be more independent, Capaldi said.
11. Municipal Court – addition to the charter.Currently, the town’s municipal court exists only by an ordinance, Capaldi said. This proposed change would make the municipal court more permanent. “I think this is really good and it helps the town,” he said. “A local judge has a better feeling for what comes before him because he lives in the town. No district court judge knows the Town of Coventry better than I do, or better than someone who lives here does.”Making the municipal court part of the charter will make it safe from the political whims of future councils, Capaldi said.
Cov. charter changes ballot-bound
Tuesday, 05 August 2008
HANNAH CLARKIN
hclarkin@ricentral.com
COVENTRY — At its meeting on July 28, the Coventry Town Council unanimously approved 11 proposed charter changes to appear on the November ballot.
The proposed changes would affect voting districts, the number of council members, the procedure for filling a school committee vacancy, the qualifications for the position of town manager, probate court responsibilities, financial provisions, the qualifications of the director of finance, the qualifications of the town treasurer, the qualifications of the director of public works, the building inspector, and the municipal court. These changes were unanimously recommended by the Charter Review Commission, chaired by Arthur G. Capaldi, who also serves as the town’s municipal court judge. Leo R. Blais, Jean A. Boulanger, Esq., Kenneth DaSilva, Thaddeus Jendzejec, Victor G. Moffitt, James J. Spearman, Raymond J. Sullivan Jr., and Ronald Wood sat on the commission.
1. Redistricting – relating to Article II, Section 2.05 At the request of the Coventry Board of Canvassers, the Charter Review Commission recommended a charter change to provide for redrawing of district boundary lines every four years —within a year of the gubernatorial election — instead of every two years, as it currently stands. “The board of canvassers’ chairman [Francis J. Perry Jr.] said it was a real difficult thing to do it every two years,” Capaldi said. “A lot of times it doesn’t change a lot in two years; in every four years there may be a change.”
2. Town council – relating to Article III, Section 3.01 Former Coventry Town Council President Jendzejec recommended that the structure of the town council be changed to add two additional members who would be elected at-large from across the town, Capaldi said.“It gives more of a help to the council and it gives two people the ability to see the big picture. It also helps the voters; it gives people not only their own district person to go to, but also these two people,” he said.The additional members would be elected across the town. The two candidates with the most votes would take the positions. Until the charter was created in 1972, all council members were elected at large, Capaldi said.
3. School Committee – relating to Article IV, Section 4.03The commission recommended the charter be changed such that, if a vacancy occurs on the school committee 12 or fewer months before the next regular election, the vacancy will be filled for the unexpired term by the town council. The current limit for the council to appoint to fill a vacancy on the school committee is six or fewer months before the next election.“The board of canvassers said this would make more sense to have a long period of time instead of a short period of time,” Capaldi said. “It’s less costly than running another election.”
4. Town Manager – relating to Article V, Section 5.01 The current charter requires a candidate for town manager to hold, at minimum, a master’s degree in business administration from an accredited college or university and to have spent at least three years as the manager of some city, town, or county; or, that the candidate have a minimum degree in public administration from an accredited college or university with special preference to actual experience in respect to the duties of the office.The commission recommended allowing consideration of town manager candidates who have bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degrees and at least three years experience in administration, not specifically management, in some city, town, or county.“I cannot remember who suggested it,” Capaldi said. “But I personally am in favor of changing — not lessening — the standards, but giving the council more leeway in selection. It’s wise to have a degree [requirement] that is more open — [a candidate] still needs the experience in town government, but it gives the council more freedom.”
5. Probate court – relating to Article VI, Section 6.04This change would allow the probate judge to be represented in his absence by the municipal court judge as well as the town solicitor, Capaldi said. The charter currently limits the duties to the town solicitor.
6. Financial Provision – relating to Article VIII, Section 8.18The commission suggested a change to the charter such that amendments to the capital or operating budgets that raise them by $175,000 would require all-day referendums. Currently, amendments that raise or lower the budgets by $100,000 require a referendum — an amount that is not as large as it was in 1972 when the charter was passed, Capaldi said. The recommended change also includes a clause that would adjust the amount requiring a referendum yearly according to the change in the Consumer Price Index.
7&8. Department of Finance – relating to Article X, Section 10.02 and Section 10.11 The recommended changes in this section were put forth by Moffitt, Capaldi said. One relates to the director of finance and the other to the town treasurer. Under the proposed change, the director of finance shall have knowledge of municipal accounting, finance, taxation, budgeting, financial control and investments and shall have a minimum of a bachelor of arts or science degree in a financial area of study. The charter does not currently mention knowledge of investments or state a degree requirement.“Since the town manager depends on the finance director, the finance director should have some experience in that area — the position should require knowledge in investments,” Capaldi said. “These requirements [are] a little more strict.”The treasurer, under the proposed change, must have a minimum of a bachelor of arts or science degree in the financial area of study. The charter does not currently state a degree requirement for the position of town treasurer, saying only “The town treasurer shall have knowledge of accounting and shall have had experience in budgeting and financial control.”
9. Department of Public Works — relating to Article XI, Section 11.02 Currently, the director of public works must possess at least five years experience in municipal engineering. This proposed charter change would lessen the requirements to run the department of public works. The proposed change would allow a director who had a bachelor of arts or science degree and at least five year’s experience in public works. “Again, this is a lessening of the requirements to open [the position] up to people to run the department of public works that have a lot of experience,” Capaldi said. “Former contractors may have that kind of experience or people who have maybe worked for the department for 25 to 30 years, which is a good thing. I never really liked having just an engineer over everybody.”
10. Department of Building Inspector – relating to Article XI.A The proposed change to this section of the charter would add language indicating that the building inspector is answerable only to the town manager.Currently, Capaldi said, the building inspector is answerable to several different departments. “Under the zoning law, he is the only one who can make decisions of zoning. In the present charter, he is under the town manager but also the town engineer and the planner. He has to make independent decisions, or else there are decisions that are not proper.” Placing the inspector exclusively under the town manager will allow him to be more independent, Capaldi said.
11. Municipal Court – addition to the charter.Currently, the town’s municipal court exists only by an ordinance, Capaldi said. This proposed change would make the municipal court more permanent. “I think this is really good and it helps the town,” he said. “A local judge has a better feeling for what comes before him because he lives in the town. No district court judge knows the Town of Coventry better than I do, or better than someone who lives here does.”Making the municipal court part of the charter will make it safe from the political whims of future councils, Capaldi said.
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