I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Below is an article from today's KC Times on the newly formed Charter Review Commission. I am honored to be named as one of the board members. The charter states that we have six months to conduct our work (section 15.20, p. 42), not nine as shown in the article. We will do our best to review the charter and recommend to the Town Council changes that will improve this document which we hope will improve the way our local government operates. The commission will hold meetings on a regular basis and these will be open to the public. I will advise what the meeting dates are as soon as I know them. I encourage you all to come to the meetings so we can get your input.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charter review group up and running
Sunday, 29 November 2009
HANNAH PIECUCH
hpiecuch@ricentral.com
COVENTRY — After a longer delay than the council would have liked, the charter review commission is ready to go, after all nine members were appointed at the Monday town council meeting.
The nine applicants display a broad range of capabilities and experience and Town Council President Raymond Spear said that he was very pleased to announce their appointment.
Joel Johnson, Harold Trafford Jr., Ann Dickson, Wayne Asselin, Robert Thibeault, James Sullivan, Gregory Laboissonniere, Joy Martin and William Wolfe were all sworn in on the spot in the town council chambers.
“I personally know most of these people,” said Councilman Glenford Shibley at the meeting, visibly pleased. “The town will be in good hands with them as the charter review commission.”
Town Manager Thomas Hoover will be an ex-officio member, added Town Solicitor Patrick Rogers, as well as a liaison to the council.
“I welcome you all,” Spear said. “You will have access to the building so you can meet — the manager will arrange that. And you are now eligible to proceed immediately, organize yourself, pick a chairperson and we’ll look forward to some nice work.”
The council has indicated that there are a few particular things that they would like to see the commission review, Spear added.
“We will be anxiously awaiting your progress.”
The Coventry Town Charter allows nine months for the review commission to meet and come up with recommendations for the town council.
“With nine months, I’m inclined to think you’ll have no problem,” Spear said.
Filling the commission did take longer than he thought it would, Spear admitted on Tuesday. While he was very pleased with the nine applicants for the commission, they were the only applicants who applied.
In the meantime, the council has been trying to keep other boards and commissions up to date, Spear added, and the number of open seats is creeping up again.
There are positions remaining on the redevelopment agency, the Pawtuxet River authority, the sewer assessment board, the tax assessment board of review and the Coventry land trust, and two new positions open due to resignations on the juvenile hearing board and the housing authority.
“It’s harder than I thought it would be,” he said. “It’s not that we’re necessarily neglecting people that applied — we’ve appointed everyone we could and now we’re looking for more applicants.”
For more information about the openings on boards and commissions as well as the applications visit the town Web site at http://town.coventry.ri.us/, or call the town clerk’s office at 822-9173.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Many Thanks
Many thanks to all who serve our town. Elected officials, municipal workers, police officers, fire fighters, teachers, the volunteers of all our youth and adult groups, and the citizens groups. Thanks to all the businesses that provide goods and services to our town. Without all of you there would be no community.
Following is a Thanksgiving proclamation from the U.S. Continental Congress in 1782:
Proclamation
State of New-Hampshire. In Committee of Safety, Exeter, November 1, 1782 : Ordered, that the following proclamation for a general thanksgiving on the twenty-eighth day of November instant, received from the honorable Continental Congress, be forthwith printed ...
STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.IN COMMITTEE of SAFETY,EXETER, November 1, 1782.
ORDERED,THAT the following Proclamation for a general THANKSGIVING on the twenty-eighth day of November [instant?], received from the honorable Continental Congress, be forthwith printed, and sent to the several worshipping Assemblies in this State, to whom it is recommended religiously to observe said day, and to abstain from all servile labour thereon.M. WEARE, President.
By the United States in Congress assembled.
PROCLAMATION.
IT being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for his gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner to give him praise for his goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of his providence in their behalf: Therefore the United States in Congress assembled, taking into their consideration the many instances of divine goodness to these States, in the course of the important conflict in which they have been so long engaged; the present happy and promising state of public affairs; and the events of the war, in the course of the year now drawing to a close; particularly the harmony of the public Councils, which is so necessary to the success of the public cause; the perfect union and good understanding which has hitherto subsisted between them and their Allies, notwithstanding the artful and unwearied attempts of the common enemy to divide them; the success of the arms of the United States, and those of their Allies, and the acknowledgment of their independence by another European power, whose friendship and commerce must be of great and lasting advantage to these States:----- Do hereby recommend to the inhabitants of these States in general, to observe, and request the several States to interpose their authority in appointing and commanding the observation of THURSDAY the twenty-eight day of NOVEMBER next, as a day of solemn THANKSGIVING to GOD for all his mercies: and they do further recommend to all ranks, to testify to their gratitude to GOD for his goodness, by a cheerful obedience of his laws, and by promoting, each in his station, and by his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.
Done in Congress, at Philadelphia, the eleventh day of October, in the year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, and of our Sovereignty and Independence, the seventh.JOHN HANSON, President.Charles Thomson, Secretary.
PRINTED AT EXETER.
Proclamation courtesy of The Library of Congress.
From Historychannel.com
Following is a Thanksgiving proclamation from the U.S. Continental Congress in 1782:
Proclamation
State of New-Hampshire. In Committee of Safety, Exeter, November 1, 1782 : Ordered, that the following proclamation for a general thanksgiving on the twenty-eighth day of November instant, received from the honorable Continental Congress, be forthwith printed ...
STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.IN COMMITTEE of SAFETY,EXETER, November 1, 1782.
ORDERED,THAT the following Proclamation for a general THANKSGIVING on the twenty-eighth day of November [instant?], received from the honorable Continental Congress, be forthwith printed, and sent to the several worshipping Assemblies in this State, to whom it is recommended religiously to observe said day, and to abstain from all servile labour thereon.M. WEARE, President.
By the United States in Congress assembled.
PROCLAMATION.
IT being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for his gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner to give him praise for his goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of his providence in their behalf: Therefore the United States in Congress assembled, taking into their consideration the many instances of divine goodness to these States, in the course of the important conflict in which they have been so long engaged; the present happy and promising state of public affairs; and the events of the war, in the course of the year now drawing to a close; particularly the harmony of the public Councils, which is so necessary to the success of the public cause; the perfect union and good understanding which has hitherto subsisted between them and their Allies, notwithstanding the artful and unwearied attempts of the common enemy to divide them; the success of the arms of the United States, and those of their Allies, and the acknowledgment of their independence by another European power, whose friendship and commerce must be of great and lasting advantage to these States:----- Do hereby recommend to the inhabitants of these States in general, to observe, and request the several States to interpose their authority in appointing and commanding the observation of THURSDAY the twenty-eight day of NOVEMBER next, as a day of solemn THANKSGIVING to GOD for all his mercies: and they do further recommend to all ranks, to testify to their gratitude to GOD for his goodness, by a cheerful obedience of his laws, and by promoting, each in his station, and by his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.
Done in Congress, at Philadelphia, the eleventh day of October, in the year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, and of our Sovereignty and Independence, the seventh.JOHN HANSON, President.Charles Thomson, Secretary.
PRINTED AT EXETER.
Proclamation courtesy of The Library of Congress.
From Historychannel.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)