Town News & Commentary

Letter in Support of Chris Piasczyk

2010-10-29T08:21:00.002-04:00

Here is a letter reprinted with permission from former Town Council member Greg Laboissonniere in support of Chris Piasczyk .

Voters of Coventry District 5;
I am asking for your support to elect Chris Piasczyk as your Council representative. Chris understands that being part of a cohesive team is imperative to achieving positive results. As head coach of a college women’s basketball team, Chris works each day to instill his players with qualities they will need for success; qualities like integrity, honesty and an outstanding work ethic to name a few! He applies these same principles as a supervisor for UPS, an ultimate group of team players! Being a great team player is how you get the job done! This is something that Chris’ opponent has yet to understand.

In my personal experience on the council with Ted Jendzejec, he was certainly not a team player and I found he didn’t work well with people of differing opinions, even those from within his own party.

In Mr Jendzejec’s first year as a Coventry Councilman, he conspired with two of his Democrat council colleagues to overthrow fellow Democrat Frank Hyde as president in an embarrassing public display of the ugliest kind of politics that included his co-conspirator’s resignation immediately following the ouster and resulted in a costly special election and a divided council unable to resolve even the most basic business issues under Mr. Jendzejec’s leadership!

Now his issue is that the “self insured” fund is depleted. The truth is Ted would have you believe the current council is responsible when in fact the fund had approximately $7.2 million when Ted took office in 2004 and only about $4.7 million when he was voted out of office in 2006. That’s a $2.5 million drop in two years. We are no longer self insured because the asset value is too low to sustain a catastrophic loss. We now have to pay insurance premiums from that fund.

Our Town Council is a five man body and once elected need to work as a team for all of Coventry. The voters recognized Ted was not a good teammate and DID NOT re-elect him!

Can the voters of District 5 and all of Coventry expect different results in the future?
Yes we can, by electing Chris Piasczyk to the Coventry Town Council District 5 seat.

Greg Laboissonniere
Coventry, RI

Home Rule Charter Proposed Amendments

2010-10-27T00:01:00.004-04:00

There was a size restriction on what could be submitted to the KC Times so I wasn't able to write at length about all seven of the proposed amendments to our Town Home Rule Charter, so here is the full summary.

There will be 11 referendum items on the ballot next Tuesday. Question numbers 1 through 4 are state of RI issues, questions 5 through 11 concern the Charter.

BTW - Here is a link that can be used to print a sample ballot - https://sos.ri.gov/vic/

I was a member of the Coventry Charter Review Commission that met from November 2009 to May 2010. We had a lot of discussion about many possible changes to our Home Rule Charter. In the end, the Town Council approved seven recommended changes that will be put before you, the voters, on November 2nd. There hasn’t been much information available about these proposed amendments, so here is a summary of them along with my recommendations:

QUESTION #5 TOWN COUNCIL APPROVAL OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS
Here is how the question will appear on the ballot - Shall Article III, Section 3.14 of the Town Charter be amended to provide that no collective bargaining agreement between the Town, including the School Committee, and any labor organization shall become effective unless and until ratified by the majority vote of the Town Council?

EXPLANATION: This amendment would require Town Council approval of all collective bargaining agreements, including those negotiated by the School Committee. Over 60% of the Town budget is allocated to paying for collective bargaining agreements negotiated by the School Committee. Presently, the Council approves all collective bargaining agreements, except those negotiated by the School Committee. The Council sets the tax rate necessary, however, to support all contracts and Town spending. A vote to APPROVE would provide the Council with authority to ratify School Committee collective bargaining agreements. A vote to REJECT would deny that power.

I recommend that this amendment be approved. The Town Council would not be involved in negotiations with any School collective bargaining unit. The School Committee would have the sole power to negotiate, but with the knowledge that any labor agreement would have to accommodate budget constraints as set by the Council.

** 10/27/10 Additional comment in response to a question - Article 16-2 of RI general laws gives the sole power to negotiate school contracts to school committees. The TC can't legally negotiate; what this amendment would do is give the power to approve or not appove a tentative labor agreement to the Council, they would have the final say. This has been the law in East Providence for several years and so far it has worked there.

QUESTION #6 ALL DAY REFERENDUM / CONCURRENT BUDGET APPROVAL
Here is how the question will appear on the ballot - Shall Article VIII, Section 8.18 of the Town Charter be amended to provide that an all day referendum shall be required when any changes to the capital improvement or operating budget at the financial town meeting exceed $180,000; and Section 8.10 be amended to provide that the capital improvement program and capital budget be approved by the Town Council concurrent with the operating budget?

EXPLANATION: This amendment would make any change to the capital improvement or operating budgets that total $180,000 or more subject to an all day referendum. Presently, only additions or subtractions alone or that net to this amount are subject to referendum. The amendment would also allow the capital improvement program and budget to be approved adopted at the same time as the Town operating budget, not thirty (30) days prior as presently provided. A vote to APPROVE, would make these changes. A vote to REJECT, would not.

I recommend that this amendment be approved. It is proposed to change the amount from $180,000 “net” to $180,000 “sum”, the total of all additions and reductions approved at the Financial Town Meeting, as the trigger for a referendum. Approving the capital budget at the same time as the operating is logical from a budget planning standpoint, and is something that is long overdue.

QUESTION #7 NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS
Here is how the question will appear on the ballot - Shall Article II of the Charter be amended to provide nonpartisan elections for all local offices?

EXPLANATION: This proposed amendment would, commencing in 2012, establish nonpartisan elections, where all candidates on the ballot for local offices appear without party designation. Presently, local elections are partisan -- meaning that party designation accompanies all candidates on the local ballot. Parties remain free to endorse candidates and candidates may use party labels. A vote to APPROVE means you support nonpartisan election of local officeholders. A vote to REJECT means you oppose this change.

I recommend that this amendment be approved. Four other communities in Rhode Island, and hundreds of cities and town across the country have nonpartisan elections. There is no Democratic way to pick up trash, no Republican way to plow snow. At the local level elections should be about voting for the most qualified candidates, period. Without the need to get approval from any political town committee, this may expand the pool of citizens who would consider running for elected office.

QUESTION #8 FOUR YEAR TOWN COUNCIL TERMS / LIMIT ON APPOINTMENT POWER
Here is how the question will appear on the ballot - Shall Article III, Section 3.01 of the Charter be amended to provide for staggered four (4) year terms for Council members, as presently served by School Committee members; and Article XVIII amended to eliminate Town Council appointments between general election day and the seating of new Council members commencing a new term?

EXPLANATION: This proposed amendment would provide staggered four (4) years terms for Council members commencing in 2012. The staggered four (4) year terms for Council members would complement the present staggered four (4) year terms for School Committee members. The amendment would also eliminate Council appointments in the period between the general election and the seating of newly-elected members of the Council. Presently, each Council member is elected for a two (2) year term, and there are no limits on the timing of Council appointments.

I recommend that this amendment be approved. The office of Council member is as important as the office of School Committee member. Lengthening the term of Town Council members puts them on a par with the School Committee, whose members currently serve four year terms. Running for office is a lot of work; making Council terms longer may expand the pool of citizens who would consider running for elected office. Eliminating “lame duck” Council appointments is common sense.

QUESTION #9 TOWN MANAGER QUALIFICATIONS / ACTING TOWN MANAGER
Here is how the question will appear on the ballot - Shall Article V of the Charter be amended to raise the minimum qualifications for serving as Town Manager to a master's degree in certain fields, five (5) years of actual experience as manager or assistant manager of a municipality, and residence within the Town within six (6) months of appointment; and shall any person serving as an interim Town Manager not meeting these requirements be eligible to serve no more than one hundred and eighty (180) days?

EXPLANATION: This amendment would increase the minimum qualifications necessary for an individual to be eligible for appointment as Town Manager by the Council. It would also prohibit an appointment of an interim Town Manager not meeting these requirements from exceeding one hundred and eighty (180) days. Presently, the Charter contains lesser qualifications for Town Manager and does not deal with the length of time an interim Town Manager may serve. A vote to APPROVE means that you support the proposed changes to the Charter. A vote to REJECT means you do not support these changes.

I recommend that this amendment be approved. The Charter Review Commission and the Town Council believe that the requirements for the Town Manager position were watered down two years ago. The higher standards have served our town well in the past, and have not kept the town from finding qualified candidates for the position. Limiting an interim Town Manager term to 180 days would give the Town Council some incentive to find a permanent person for the position.

QUESTION #10 DEPARTMENTAL FUNCTIONS / TECHNICAL CHANGES / VOTING DISTRICTS
Here is how the question will appear on the ballot - Shall Article XII of the Charter be amended to update titles and functions; Article XIII amended to provide for consistency review of the capital improvement program; Article II be amended to delete local district apportionment by voters rather than population; and should the charter be amended with punctuation and grammar corrections and to achieve gender neutral terminology?

EXPLANATION: This amendment would update the titles and functions within the Department of Safety and Welfare; provide the Planning Commission with responsibility for ensuring consistency of the Town's capital improvement program with the comprehensive community plan; delete apportionment of voting districts for Council and School Committee by the number of voters in favor of apportionment based upon population. The amendment would also make technical, punctuation and grammatical changes throughout the Charter as well as employ gender neutral terminology. A vote to APPROVE means you support the proposed changes. A vote to REJECT means you oppose them.

I recommend that this amendment be approved. The charter change would formalize what the Planning Commission has already been doing for years. The change in apportionment of voting districts is something that must be done to comply with Federal law. Antiquated title names/terms/phraseology would be replaced with modern language that would be gender-neutral.

QUESTION #11 MUNICIPAL COURT
Here is how the question will appear on the ballot - Shall the Charter be amended to provide for a Municipal Court, with its jurisdiction and operation governed by ordinance; provided, however, that if Court revenue does not sustain operation of the Court; the Council shall possess the power to abolish the Court.

EXPLANATION: This amendment would place the existence of the Municipal Court in the Charter. It would allow the Council to abolish the Court only if the Court was not self-sustaining. Presently, the Court is established by only by ordinance. This amendment would not place the jurisdiction and operation of the Court in the Charter. Those matters are presently governed by ordinance and this amendment would not change that. A vote to APPROVE would adopt this change. A vote to REJECT would not.

I recommend that this amendment be approved. There was no Municipal Court when our Home Rule Charter was implemented in the 1970s; had there been one at that time it certainly would have been included in the Charter. Bringing the Court within the Charter would also make it more difficult to remove this office for political reasons.

I hope this information will help you make an informed decision on Election Day.

New Article - Town Budget

2010-05-19T08:12:00.001-04:00

News article from Kent County Times:

Council passes bare bones budget
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
HANNAH PIECUCH
hpiecuch@ricentral.

COVENTRY — The town council passed a level-funded budget on Monday night.

Residents will have the opportunity to uphold or deny the budget at the financial town meeting, scheduled for June 8.

Council President Raymond Spear, Vice-President Laura Flanagan and Glen Shibley were in attendance at the meeting and all supported the budget. Kenneth Cloutier and Frank Hyde were absent.

The budget reflects cuts or level-funding in nearly every department, said Town Manager Thomas Hoover in his report. For the most part, residents won’t see many changes to their services, he said.

He also mentioned the cuts made by the school committee, which amount to $1.3 million and take into account a level-funded municipal budget, cuts in state aid, and a five-year debt reduction plan.

“The main message is that there will be no increase in the tax rate this year as we approach the financial town meeting.”
Flanagan wanted to know how much town services will change under this budget.

“I hope to provide the same level of services,” Hoover said in response. But one area that will change is the police department.

The approved budget removes a request for two replacement officers and the department may lose up to four officers this year, Hoover said. Public safety is one of his top priorities as manager, he said, but there isn’t much he can do about the reductions in the budget.

If state aid comes in higher than expected, the council will restore the police department as much as they can, the three council members agreed.

As public discussion of the budget began, resident Bruce Desrosiers asked where Hyde and Cloutier were. “Ken Cloutier represents me and I would like to know if he would have an opinion, were he here.”

Later, Ron Gizzarelli agreed. Noting that Hyde and Cloutier have been absent from many recent meetings, he suggested that the Charter Review Commission look at penalizing council members who have many unexcused absences. “I think they should look at members not attending meetings or skipping meetings. If they don’t like [what’s being voted on] I want to hear their reasons.” His comment was followed by applause.

Hyde was absent, he said, because of a recent illness, but he is not happy with the budget that was passed. “Ray Spear and Laura Flanagan and Glen Shibley have been voting together since they got on the council,” he said. “It just seems to me that what they’re doing is taking all the money from the programs for sports and kids programs and paying the lawyers with it.”

Cloutier could not be reached for comment.

Resident Gary Beaudoin, a retired teacher, said the council should consider asking for a $0.50 per $1,000 tax increase. Finance Director Warren West estimated that such an increase would give the town about $1.7 million more in revenues.

“I’m very disturbed that there is a freeze affecting the town,” Beaudoin said. “I totally disagree with your position on no increases. It’s a philosophical problem. There are two kinds of councils in this town that are very dangerous. There is the liberal council that gives the store away — they give the unions whatever they want. And there is council that is too conservative and it’s ‘no, no, no.’” His comments, as well, were followed by applause.

Resident Ron Flynn thanked the council for taking the position that they have. “Thank you for being bold enough to keep the taxes level-funded,” he said. “I volunteer to drive the bus during football season for the cheerleaders. I don’t get a stipend or anything. More people need to step up and do that.”

School Committee Chairwoman Katherine Patenaude said she did not agree with the cuts being made to keep the budget level-funded. “I thought we made it pretty clear how much we need the $500,000 to keep from cutting people. I also don’t agree with the structural deficit [you’re creating] by using one-time sources of revenue. That is philosophically a stance that I can’t agree with.”

Coventry has been one of the highest taxed communities in the state ever since he first moved here 30 years ago, said Spear. He doesn’t ever want Coventry to become the least taxed area, but to bring the taxes down it’s going to take time and cuts like the ones being made this year.

“Rhode Island is in trouble, if you haven’t noticed,” Flanagan said as the comments drew to a close, “because we’ve spent and we’ve spent and we’ve spent. Level funding the budget is the only way to correct overspending so that we can get back down to a place where we can grow again. I do not think this room is representative of all the taxpayers in this town. I represent those taxpayers. I stand by this budget just as I did last year and holding the line on the taxes for just one year doesn’t get us where we want to be.”

It’s not easy to refuse to give agencies the money that they are asking for, Shibley added. “But the taxpayers I’ve talked to tell us ‘no more taxes’ and I don’t think they’re represented here. If I’m wrong they can come out and say ‘tax us more’ at the financial town meeting.”

All three members of the council that were present voted to approve the budget.

FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING JUNE 8TH VOTE YES ON A ZERO TAX INCREASE FOR COVENTRY‏

2010-05-18T20:32:00.003-04:00

Forwarding an e-mail from Town Council member Laura Flanagan. The TC proposes a zero tax increase budge for the fiscal year begining 07/01/10. The meeting will be held 3 weeks from tonight. I hope many of you will attend and support a zero tax increase. Thanks.

-------------------------------------------

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD..... >>>> MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Time: 7:00 pm
Date: Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Place: Coventry High School

EVERY REGISTERED VOTER IN COVENTRY MUST ATTEND TO VOTE AND ENSURE NO TAX INCREASE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

Please note that a NO TAX INCREASE BUDGET is being forwarded to the Financial Town Meeting for approval by the voters of Coventry. As a community, we must once again join together and say:

1) NO to wasteful spending that jeopardizes our current senior tax freeze
2) NO to the "same old way of doing business"
2) NO to the greed of special interests
3) NO to even one more dime
3) YES to a no tax increase budget

We can do more with less. We can continue to provide services to our residents. We must continue to say enough. We must not allow the scare tactics of special interests groups to derail our community from spending tax dollars conservatively and responsibly.

Please come out and let your voice be heard on June 8th, 2010. This is your right and your time to weigh in. Every voter counts!

Sincerely,
--
Laura A. Flanagan
Vice President
Town Council, Town of Coventry

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead

Congressional Reform Act of 2010

2010-03-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

Here is an idea to reform our Congress. Please look this over, if you agree with it please consider signing a petition via this link:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/21/congressional-reform-act-of-2010

A friend sent this along to me. I can't think of a single reason to disagree.

Congressional Reform Act of 2010
Target: Congress
Sponsored by:
A Fed Up American

The following bill should be introduced in Congress. It would be called the Congressional Reform Act of 2010. It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They believed that serving in Congress is an honor not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their terms, then go home and back to work, Remember, Congress currently has the lowest approval of any entity in Government. Now is the time when Americans should join together to reform Congress - the entity that represents us.

1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six year Senate terms
B. Six Two year House terms
C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension:
A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system; Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide in all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective one year after passage of the bill .
The American people did not make contracts with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Heathcare Reform Info

2010-03-29T12:30:00.004-04:00

Here is a website that provides a lot of information on the new healthcare law:

http://www.kff.org

Link to a summary of the law:

http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/finalhcr.pdf

States in Fiscal Peril

2010-02-10T16:55:00.003-05:00

Guess which state made the list?

http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=56044

http://downloads.pewcenteronthestates.org/Beyond_California_Appendix.pdf

http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewcenteronthestatesorg/rhodeIsland.pdf?n=3587

Giant development proposed in Cov.

2010-02-01T12:29:00.003-05:00

Article from KC Times about the proposed "Sherwood Village"

---------------------------------
Giant development proposed in Cov.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
HANNAH PIECUCH

COVENTRY — The biggest development since the Centre of New England has been proposed for Coventry.

An 192-unit, eight-building, three-story apartment complex with the working name of “Sherwood Valley” has been proposed for New London Turnpike at Tiffany Lane, just northeast of the intersection of Arnold Road.

The Cardi Corporation presented their master plan to the Coventry Planning Commission at a special meeting exclusively for this development on Thursday night, according to Chairman Russell Crossman. Former Chairman Cynthia Fagan and Crossman switched positions this week, making Fagan vice-chair.

Cardi brought nearly ten experts with them to present the development, Planning and Zoning Officer Jacob Peabody said. They had a planner, landscape architects, their architect, a wetlands biologist, an environmental scientist, a civil engineer, a real estate expert and a traffic engineer.

The only reason that Cardi was able to propose something like this is because they have a comprehensive permit with at least 25 percent affordable housing, Peabody said. Of the 192 units, 48 units are going to be low to moderate income. This project first came before the commission at a pre-application meeting about two years ago, he added.

The commission took no action on the request for master plan approval on Thursday, Crossman said, because they didn’t even get through all the elements of the meeting. The introduction of the plan took over two hours and because of the large number of residents who attended, Crossman waived usual sections of the meeting where the commission asks their questions. Residents spoke about the development for more than an hour, he said, and it was nearly 11 p.m. when the meeting closed, with the discussion continued to next month.

“We felt it was more important to allow the public to speak than to speak ourselves,” Crossman said.

Although many of the residents expressed concern and resistance to the development, Crossman reserves his opinion until he has had more time to review the proposal, he said. “I haven’t prepared my questions [for Cardi] yet and I want to digest everything. That was a lot of information just from the experts. Plus we received documents from the residents, some were hand written, others were e-mails, on top of the oral testimonies that were given.”

Next to the Centre of New England, this is probably the largest development that Coventry has seen in the last few years, Crossman said. “And I’m hoping it’s the largest thing we see for the next ten.”

Representing his district, Councilman Glenford Shibley attended the meeting to speak against the proposed development, he said.

“They’re trying to circumvent almost a dozen of our Coventry zoning ordinances under the premise of providing 48 low to moderate income housing units,” he said. “This is only on 12.4 acres of land. They’re using 50 percent of the land for the buildings; you might liken it packing them in like sardines.”

In Shibley’s opinion, the proposal doesn’t fit in with the neighborhood, and when school-aged children are taken into account and many of the other waivers Cardi seeks are added up, it could be a large loss for the town.

There are some places in town where housing units of this magnitude would be welcome, Shibley said, and that would be in one of the blighted areas in need of revitalization. “We have Anthony Mill where we would just love to have 48 low to moderate income units. We already have it. It’s already built. It’s already a few stories high. Why build something new?”

State Representative Patricia Serpa (D-27 Warwick, West Warwick, Coventry) also attended the meeting to represent her constituents, she said.

“While everyone understands the need for affordable housing, given every municipality’s current state of fiscal affairs, we’re hoping the commission considers the impact [of a development this large] on schools, services like trash pick up and traffic.”

New London Turnpike is busy as it is, Serpa said. “One will expect at least 192 additional cars traveling new London turnpike and there are very many practical concerns.”

Revitalizing a blighted area is an alternative that Serpa also encouraged Cardi to look into, she said.

In a prepared speech, Tiffany Lane resident Susan Falcone asked the planning commission to consider denying the application, based on a legal precedent.

In spite of the large number of affordable housing units, the planning commission does have the right to reject this application, Falcone said, drawing from a Rhode Island Supreme Court Case, The Housing Opportunities Corporation et al v. Zoning Board of Review of the Town of Johnston.

In that case, which Falcone believes is very similar to this situation, the state Supreme Court upheld Johnston’s decision to reject an application to build a low to moderate income housing facility that was three stories high and did not blend with the surrounding neighborhood.

“The main thing I got out of [the case] that related to us is that the judge ruled that the multi-unit apartment proposed in Johnston would have ‘deleterious effects on the character of the surrounding area’ and that it ‘wasn’t consistent with the local needs,’ which they said were a better site and building design,” she said.

Looking at the proposal submitted by Cardi, Falcone thinks “that this development, with 40-foot tall buildings, would just not fit in the single family area on half-acre lots in that part of town. The density of the dwellings is way over the limit of density for acre in that area,” she said.

Her other concern relates to wetlands near the site, Falcone added. “There is a stream in the back of this property that is a feeder to Tiogue Lake and that goes to the Pawtuxet River. Flat Top Pond is also nearby.” Area residents have also expressed concerns about drainage, if this project goes in, she said.

As an alternative, Falcone suggested that the developer take a tax deduction and donate half of the property to the town of Coventry for open space, she said. “There is no open space, or passive recreation in our area of town and this donation would definitely improve the character and morale of our neighborhood. There could be walking trails and benches, perhaps even fitness stations, as I have seen on similar property in Lincoln abutting the Twin River Reservoir.”

Also from the neighborhood, Wayne Asselin, who lives on Lorraine Avenue near Hopkins Hill Road, echoed concerns about the zoning in the general area. “That area is zoned for single-family homes,” he said. “The proposal is for something other than that and something that to me is out of scope for the neighborhood. It will dwarf the homes nearby. That’s my concern.”

He hopes that the planning commission will hear out everyone who comes to speak on the matter as the process continues, Asselin said, “and ask their own questions and make a decision that’s in the best interest of the town.”

The meeting has been continued to Wednesday, Feb. 10, Crossman said, and at that time the planning commission will ask their questions and there will be more time for public comment.

Stephen Cardi Jr. of the Cardi Corporation did not return calls to comment.

Meetings this week

2010-01-24T20:40:00.002-05:00

Town Council Jan. 25
http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4232/2010/85148.pdf

School Committee Jan. 26
http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4248/2010/84966.pdf

Planning Commission - Jan. 27 regular monthly meeting
http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4233/2010/85090.pdf

Planning Commission - Jan. 28 special meeting regarding Sherwood Village
http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4233/2010/85087.pdf

Charter Review Commission - Jan. 28
As of 01/14/10 this meeting has not yet been posted on the Secretary of State website

Sherwood Village Public Hearing Planning Meeting Jan. 13‏

2010-01-09T19:05:00.001-05:00

Hi All

Just wanted to make you aware of a Planning Commission meeting next Wednesday that has the following agenda item:

Wednesday January 13th 7:00 PM

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING-Continued

Comprehensive Permit/Master Plan: “Sherwood Village”; Sherwood Development, LLC

Proposed 192 Multi-family Units Consisting of 8 Buildings with 24
Dwelling Units (on 8.2 acres - WA) Each with 25% Deemed to be Affordable

AP 16, Lot 3; Zone R-20
New London Turnpike

The location of the proposed development is at the corner of New London Turnpike and Tiffany Road. The current zone is R-20 which means each house must be on a lot that has at least 20,000 sq. ft of land. As it stands right now no more than 17 single family homes can be built at this site. Because this is a development that contains so-called "affordable housing" it has "fast track" status whereby instead of having to obtain a zoning variance from the Town Council, they can go directly to and possibly get approval from the Planning Commission to build the 192 living units on 8.2 acres instead of 17 single family homes.

Here is the link to the actual agenda:

http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4233/2010/84239.pdf

If you live on the Turnpike or Tiffany Road or nearby of even you have a home on Tiogue Lake I suggest that you attend this meeting. This is a "Master Plan" public hearing which basically is the only chance you will have to speak out on this project. If the public does not come out and voice their comments, questions or concerns then the Planning Commission could possibly approve the development as proposed that night.

The meeting takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 13th at 7 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers of the Town Hall, 1670 Flat River Road.
>
> A copy of the plans are available at the Department of Planning, Town Hall Annex, 1675 Flat River Road.
> If you cannot attend the meeting, please write a letter or send an e-mail ASAP stating you cannot attend the meeting and that you would like your statement to be part of the record. Send it to:

> Paul Sprague, Director of Planning and Development
Town of Coventry
> 1675 Flat River Road
> Coventry, RI 02816
> RE: Sherwood Village

Paul's e-mail address is psprague@town.coventry.ri.us

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T17:52:00.000-05:00

The reason for the season.

Luke 2:1-20

[1]And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

[2] This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

[3] So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

[4]Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

[5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

[6] So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. [7] And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

[8] Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

[9] And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

[10] Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

[11] For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

[12] And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

[14] "Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

[15] So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

[16] And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

[17] Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

[18] And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

[19] But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

[20] Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

I hope all of you have a great Christmas.

Dec. 9 Public Hearing Sherwood Village

2009-12-03T22:07:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to make you aware of a Planning Commission meeting next Wednesday that has the following agenda item:

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Comprehensive Permit/Master Plan: “Sherwood Village”; Sherwood
Development, LLC
Proposed 192 Multi-family Units Consisting of 8 Buildings with 24
Dwelling Units (on 8.2 acres WA) Each with 25% Deemed to be Affordable
AP 16, Lot 3; Zone R-20
New London Turnpike

The location of the proposed development is at the corner of New London Turnpike and Tiffany Road. The current zone is R-20 which means each house must be on a lot that has at least 20,000 sq. ft of land. As it stands right now no more than 17 single family homes can be built at this site. Because this is a development that contains so-called "affordable housing" it has "fast track" status whereby instead of having to obtain a zoning variance from the Town Council, they can go directly to and possibly get approval from the Planning Commission to build 192 living units on 8.2 acres instead of 17 single family homes.

Here is the link to the actual agenda:

http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2009/82700.pdf

If you live on the Turnpike or Tiffany Road or nearby of even you have a home on Tiogue Lake I suggest that you attend this meeting. This is a Master Plan public hearing which basically is the only chance you will have to speak out on this project. If the public does not come out and voice their comments, questions or concerns then the Planning Commission could possibly approve the development as proposed that night.

The meeting takes place on Wednesday, December 9th at 7 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers of the Town Hall, 1670 Flat River Road.
>
> A copy of the plans are available at the Department of Planning, Town Hall Annex, 1675 Flat River Road.
> If you cannot attend the meeting, please write a letter (ASAP) stating you cannot attend the meeting and that you would like your statement to be part of the record. Send it to:
> Paul Sprague, Director
>Coventry Planning Dept.
> 1675 Flat River Road
> Coventry, RI 02816
> RE: Sherwood Village
>
>

Charter Review Commission

2009-11-30T19:22:00.002-05:00

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.

Many Thanks

2009-11-26T06:55:00.003-05:00

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

Council looks to fill board seats

2009-10-01T08:26:00.003-04:00

Article from Todays Kent County Times. Please consider applying for one of these board positions.

Council looks to fill board seats

Wednesday, 30 September 2009
HANNAH PIECUCH

COVENTRY — The Town Council is seeking applicants for the assessment board of review, the Pawtuxet River authority, the redevelopment agency, the sewer assessment board, the Coventry land trust, and the personnel board, as they announced at their Monday night council meeting.

In addition, they are seeking to fill remaining seats on the juvenile hearing board, the planning commission, and the charter review commission, said Council President Raymond Spear. There were not enough people to even establish the charter review commission, he said, which takes nine people, and there is one space left on both the juvenile hearing board and the planning commission.Applications are due by Oct. 7 to the Town Clerk. The application form is available at the town hall and also online at town.coventry.ri.us.

Assessment Board of Review
There is one opening on the assessment board, according to Chairperson James J. O’Connor, belonging to a resident from District 2. This board reviews appeals made after property is revaluated every three years, O’Connor said. They are the last resort of a resident who believes that his property has been over or under valued. Currently, the board has several members with experience in real estate, O’Connor said, “There is currently a real estate broker on the board and I’m a certified real estate appraiser.” But real estate experience isn’t as essential as common sense, he added. “By the same token you don’t have to have all those qualifications. A lot of times there’s a very practical thinking individual who is a home owner in the area who is very helpful on our board.”

Pawtuxet River Authority
Established by Rhode Island General Laws, Chapter 46-24, the authority is composed of residents from Coventry, West Warwick, Scituate, Warwick, and Cranston. As the advisory board to the non-profit agency, the board works with the Pawtuxet River authority and watershed council to strive to improve the land quality of the river and keep its waters safe for wildlife and recreation, according to the authority’s Web site. The board meets monthly within the participating communities through which the Pawtuxet River passes.No board member was reached for comment, however more information about the authority can be found at www.pawtuxet.org.

The Redevelopment Agency
This agency is tasked with overseeing tax incremental financing projects in Coventry, according to Town Planner Paul Sprague, who was acting town manager at the time that the agency was established by the previous town council.The town council established the redevelopment committee by resolution in September 2007, according to Resolution 115-07-2822.According to state law, if a town wants to establish a tax incremental financing area, then they need a redevelopment agency to oversee it, Sprague said. Part of what they do is locate blighted areas within a town that would be ideal for redevelopment.In 2007, both the Harris Mill area and the Brookside Center were established as tax incremental financing areas, Sprague said.Over the last year, the agency has been inactive, Sprague confirmed. The council is looking to fill one expired position on the five-member board.

Sewer Assessment Board
This three-member board hears appeals from taxpayers when they are charged a sewer assessment that they do not feel is equitable, according to Town Manager Thomas R. Hoover. The cost to hook up to a sewer in town is over $1,200, Hoover said, and the amount can be paid over time. If a homeowner feels that this fee is unwarranted, they can appear before the board and file their grievance. If the board does not feel that the appeal is warranted, the resident can appeal to the Rhode Island Superior Court.

Coventry Land Trust
The land trust was established in 1999 to “promote preservation of Coventry’s rural, rustic and historic character that defines the town,” according to the land trust Web site. The stated mission of the land trust is to acquire, preserve and protect Coventry’s open space for future generations, conserve and protect environmentally sensitive lands and natural resources, educate residents and the general public regarding the need for land and resource conservation, recommend to the town council those properties which meet the goals and objectives for land preservation.There are two openings on this seven-member board, according to the town clerk.The leadership of the trust could not be reached for comment, but more information is available at www.town.coventry.ri.us/landtrust.htm.

Personnel Board
This board only meets as needed, Hoover said. The three-member board was established in accordance with the town charter and they meet to recommend rules and regulations for practices and procedures in the administration of the personnel system of the town. “Members cannot be already elected officials or employees,” he said, “and there can be no more than two members of the same political party.”This board does not meet very often because the town has a set of rules right now, Hoover said, but the board needs to be in place in the case that a personnel disagreement comes up. At that time the board will meet, make a decision, submit it to the town manager, and subsequently to the council. All three positions on the board are currently open.

Meetings this week

2009-09-13T20:40:00.002-04:00

Town Council 9/14 7:00 PM:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/78927.pdf

Housing Authority 9/16 4:15 PM:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4242/2009/78946.pdf

Housing Authority 9/16 4:30 PM:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4242/2009/78947.pdf

Planning Commission 9/16 7:00 PM:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2009/78820.pdf

Note some of the agenda items -

Pre-Application: “Stop and Shop Fuel Facility”; The Stop & Shop
Supermarket Company LLC
Proposed Installation of 4 Fuelling Pumps and Associated Tanks
AP 29, Lot 232; Zone GB
900 Tiogue Avenue

Pre-Application for Development Plan Review: “Coventry, RI Tower”;
Industrial Tower and Wireless, LLC
Construction of a Cell Tower and Accompanying Equipment Area
AP 320, Lot 81.001; Zone RR5
371 Rice City Road

PUBLIC HEARING
Preliminary Plan: “Heritage Estates”; Fred Schick, Heritage Homes
LLC
26-Lot Major Cluster Subdivision with Street Creation
AP 317, Lot(s) 66 and 67 and AP 323, Lot 250.1; Zone RR3
Bramble Bush Road & Ledge Road

PUBLIC HEARING
Major Land Development/Preliminary Plan: “CVS Pharmacy”; R.I. CVS
Pharmacy, LLC.
Proposed New Store
AP 38, Lots 105, 106 & 107; Zone GB
Tiogue Avenue & Wood Street

Meeting - Coventry Conservation Commission Sept. 8th 6 pm

2009-09-07T11:22:00.003-04:00

Here is the agenda for tomorrow night's CCC meeting showing Sherwood Village on it.

http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4239/2009/78539.pdf

The meeting takes place at the Planning Dept office located in the former Flat River Middle School building. If you live on or near the New London Turnpike or Tiffany Road I suggest that you go there to find out what the Conservation Commission is discussing and also so you can ask questions and share your concerns with this proposed development. The developer does not need a variance or zone change approval from the Town Council if this is an affordable housing plan; but they do have to meet all other state and local zoning regs and need approval from the Planning Commission for their proposed project.

Meetings

2009-08-07T12:26:00.002-04:00

Aug. 11 School Committee
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/77386.pdf

Aug. 11 Conservation Comm.
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4239/2009/77506.pdf

There is an item that may be of interest on the agenda:
Comprehensive Permit Application: “Sherwood Village”;
Sherwood Development LLC /Stephen Cardi, II
192 Affordable Residential Units in 8 Buildings
AP 16, Lot 3; Zone R20
New London Turnpike

News Article - FTM

2009-07-01T20:10:00.003-04:00

Article from the KCT on last night's Financial Town Meeting:

Residents approve Coventry budget

Tuesday, 30 June 2009
HANNAH PIECUCH
hclarkin@ricentral.com

COVENTRY — With lines wrapping around Coventry High School and all legal parking spots taken well before 7 p.m., a crowd of 1392 residents showed up for the Financial Town Meeting to set the budget for fiscal year 2010, as counted by the Board of Canvassers.

Given the choice between no tax increase, as presented in the budget prepared by the town council, and increases presented in amendments, the residents chose no increase.Tax bills in 2010 will be identical to those that went out in 2009, according to figures projected on the screen at the meeting by Finance Director Warren West. Since it is not a revaluation year, there will be no change in property taxes. The school department was level-funded in the council’s recommended budget, coming in at $41,580,728 in local contributions and a total of $62,895,882 including state and federal aid, grants and other revenues.

Before the budget was adopted, resident Joel Johnson offered an amendment to add $750,000 to the total school budget, in order to preserve Oak Haven Elementary School, he said.That amendment, after discussion, was modified by resident Bruce Desrosiers to amount to $600,000 — the amount that Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro said the schools needed to keep the school open.Although there was a loud cheer when this amendment was proposed, not all residents wanted to add the amount into the budget. An even louder cheer and applause rose in the high school gymnasium when resident John Assalone commended the council for presenting a budget without an increase.“This is the first time in maybe 30 years that the council has brought before you a budget with no increase. Everyone is taking a hit — municipal workers, police, sports,” he listed. “I move we reject adding an increase for 2010.”

Since increasing the budget by more than $175,000 requires an all-day referendum, as mandated by the town charter, Moderator Gregory Laboissonniere called for a paper ballot to determine if the proposed amendment would pass.After an hour of voting with paper ballots, the amendment failed with 438 supporting the amendment and 836 voting against it, according to the Board of Canvassers.The school budget passed as presented by a voice vote.

The municipal budget was recommended at $20,580,728 by the council — 6.6 percent less than the 2009 budget. When it came up for discussion, resident Wayne Asselin presented an amendment to add $113,651 to the municipal budget, which would restore funding to charities and civics organizations. Local sport leagues, the Johnson’s Pond Association, Coventry Veterans associations and the Greene Library — among other organizations — would all have had their funding restored under this amendment. Desrosiers tried to amend the amendment to include $30,000 a year for Human Services, but as author of the amendment Asselin did not allow the change. Not everyone wanted funding restored, pointed out one resident. “I think there are a lot of people who are in this room because this is the time for a zero increase in the budget. I feel really bad that people have to make sacrifices,” she said. “If you want money for your little league team, then come to my house and I will give you a donation because I can afford it. Don’t put that burden on our tax bill.”After discussion the amendment was voted down by a voice vote.

The voice vote for the municipal budget as presented went to those in favor, but Laboissonniere made the call without taking a voice vote for those opposed.Resident Nicholas Gorham made a point of order and requested that those opposed have a chance to vote, but Laboissonniere said that his call held.

A school capital improvement budget of $250,000 to install new roofs at Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School of Coventry and a municipal capital improvement budget of $109,138 to purchase a new recycling truck passed with few objections.

The finance director was authorized to collect taxes and the tax levy was set at no more and no less than $59,000,000. The meeting began at roughly 7:45 p.m. and lasted until 9:50 p.m. The paper ballot took nearly an hour and the rest of the meeting was discussion of amendments.
After the meeting the gymnasium emptied quickly as residents returned to their cars.This crowd was the biggest that Board of Canvassers Chairman Frank Perry had seen in years, he said. “Maybe the last time this many people showed up was 1992.”

News Article on Budget

2009-06-29T14:45:00.001-04:00

Following is an article from today's KCT on the budget. The FTM is tomorrow night; if you want a zero tax increase suggest you attend tomorrow nigght's meeting at the high school GYMNASIUM (not the auditorium).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Officials dispel budget ‘rumors’

Sunday, 28 June 2009
HANNAH PIECUCHhclarkin@ricentral.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it COVENTRY — A zero percent increase in taxes will be put before the voters of Coventry at the Financial Town Meeting on Tuesday, June 30, says Council Vice-President Laura Flanagan.“There is no other community in Rhode Island whose council has provided a 0 percent increase in their budget,” she said. “And this isn’t a revaluation year, so that means that taxpayers won’t see a cent difference on their tax bill.”In spite of the work that she, Council President Raymond Spear and the Coventry Finance Director Warren West have put into constructing a budget that gives tax relief, Flanagan feels that the budget has been misrepresented through rumors and incorrect statements, she said.

Rumors about the impact of the budget have been spread in a disingenuous manner, Flanagan said — that layoffs will topple town departments, that the council has forced the closing of Oak Haven Elementary School, is demanding huge fees to be paid by the sports league and to attend town summer camps, is depriving charities of operational expenses in the town and is spending thousands of unnecessary dollars on their recently contracted law firm Edwards Angell Palmer and Dodge. Most of these rumors do not have a factual basis, Flanagan and Spear said. The total budget comes in at $87,021,668, representing a 6.6 percent reduction in the operating costs, a more-than halved capital improvement budget and a level-funded school budget, according to figures provide by West.This budget is nearly $2 million less than the fiscal year 2009 budget, according to numbers provided by West, but it will not cripple town departments, Flanagan and Spear said. “I trust Warren [West],” Flanagan said. “I think he knows what he’s doing and knows this town enough that he would tell us if these cuts we’re making would prevent the town from operating.”

The department of public works will lose three employees, West said, but none of these positions are lost through layoffs. Over the course of the year two DPW employees passed away — one refuse courier and one roads and bridges driver — West said. One mechanic from vehicle maintenance left his position for medical reasons. These positions will not be filled, but the department has already been operating with them empty this fiscal year.The only layoffs that will occur in the municipal budget are the elimination of one part-time position in the tax collector’s office, that only cost the town $2,000 a year and the elimination of one part time position in the town clerk’s office for an employee who will keep their position in another town department, West said.

The hiring freeze leaves the town manager’s office down one clerk and the tax assessor’s office down one clerk because of layoffs, West continued. At the police department, the budget removes funding for an officer who was called up for the National Guard, Flanagan said — that officer will receive pay through the National Guard so it is unnecessary to budget for him — and two officers who would have been trained to replace a retirement and the officer called up for the National Guard will remain in their current position. In short, there will be three open positions at the police department.

The discussion surrounding the closing of Oak Haven has placed the blame for the decision on the town council. This is not fair, said Spear, speaking as a former superintendent and the chairman of the school committee. “Closing Oak Haven School has been on the docket for three years in a row,” he said. “The town council did not put it there, the school committee put it there.”Oak Haven is only an issue because it has been made an issue, Spear continued. The biggest impact is going to be in the Oak Haven neighborhood, but other areas will lose or gain 20 to 40 students.The way that Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro has presented it, Spear said, “you’d think that every kid in the town was getting turned upside down.”Handling the school closure this way is “very unprofessional on the part of the superintendent,” Spear said. “It’s been made a political issue when it doesn’t have to be a political issue. If you can educate kids well in five schools instead of six and save money, then you can do it.”

Many residents may forget, Spear added, that when he was superintendent in the 1980s, the town leadership found it expedient to close the Tiogue Elementary School for a time. “I don’t remember it being a great big mess back then.” The school department leadership, the school committee and the parents of elementary school students in the district need to stay calm, Spear said, and if they do, their children will get through the initial change and be just fine. The council does not decide to close a school or keep a school open, emphasized Flanagan, the school committee does. The school committee has had since January to reconcile the fact that they are being level-funded by the town council, she added.

Many complaints have circulated regarding cuts to the Parks and Recreation Department budget, Flanagan said. Ironically, this department is the only one where the department head was given a set budget and allowed to determine his own cuts. Recreation Director Guy Lefebvre was given a set amount, she said, “we told him that he could increase his revenues by increasing the fees to the summer camp — which was only $12 a week. I don’t know of anywhere in this state that you could send your kids to summer camp for $12 a week. It was $100 a week at the YMCA ten years ago. We told him that we need to get our fees to a place where they’re covering our costs so we strongly encouraged him to raise fees.”For families who cannot afford the increase, Flanagan added, there is assistance available through the Department of Human Services and they are welcome to apply for aid through the Waterman/Fiske Assistance Program.

The increase in fees to play on sports teams, such as the Ram’s Football team, was also Lefebvre’s own decision, Flanagan said. Now, instead of the town donating the money to pay for lights and field use, players will have to pay themselves.“What this amounts to is that every child pays $5 more — for the season,” Flanagan said. “It’s important to note that the way we are changing things makes our programs more user-oriented,” Flanagan said. “Rather than put the burden of paying for summer camp or recreation leagues on all the taxpayers in this town, we’re putting it on the people who want to use them.“We don’t think any of the user fees are exorbitant,” she added. “If I don’t see an increase in my taxes, I can put out $5 for my kid to play football or pay $25 a week this summer to send them to summer camp.”

Cutting out the charitable donations line-item has generated a lot of complaints, Flanagan said. Veterans programs, the Greene Library, the Good Samaritans and other organizations will not receive any money from the town this year.Charitable donations amounted to $90,775 in last year’s budget, West said and were proposed to amount to $95,775 in the town manager’s budget for this year. The council has zeroed out that amount. This does not mean that those charities will not be supported in the future, Flanagan said, “but in a year when we’re asking municipal employees to take no pay raises and asking them to increase their health-insurance contributions — it seems like a slap in the face to turn around and donate nearly $100,000 to charities.”When it came to looking at all the charities that the town has supported, Flanagan said, the council did not want to pick and choose which to keep and which to discontinue. They simply decided, “this year we’re not going to do it.”

Employing Law Firm Edwards, Angel, Palmer and Dodge has received a lot of public criticism when residents saw the amount that was budgeted, Flanagan said. This year’s legal budget is listed in one line item, West said, and it includes $175,000 for legal services, $200,000 budgeted for ongoing litigation, based on a recommendation from the firm, and $75,000 to cover legal expenses for the school department. The whole number this year is $449,000 for all legal items, West said. In prior years there was a line-item for legal services that was considerably smaller, but other legal expenses were worked into other sections of the budget and nothing was budgeted for ongoing litigation. When all these fees were compiled in one place, the council in Fiscal Year 2008 had budgeted $374,000 for legal services, West said.

Many of the rumors that Flanagan and Spear addressed were published in the Reminder this week, a copy of which was provided by Flanagan. The advertisement was paid for by Bruce Desrosiers acting as Treasurer of “Concerned Citizens for Coventry,” according to the ad. Desrosiers could not be reached for comment.Supporting the budget this fiscal year are Flanagan and Spear and Councilman Glenford Shibley. Both Councilman Frank Hyde and Councilman Kenneth Cloutier voted against the budget when it came before the council.

Although the budget passed the town council 3-2, Flanagan said, it’s not a done deal. Taxpayers in Coventry do have the power to add or subtract items from the budget or to defeat the budget altogether.People who are excited that there is no tax increase in the budget should not be thanking her now, Flanagan said. “It’s not a done deal. Don’t thank me, come out to the Financial Town Meeting and make it happen.”Now is the time to begin cutting taxes so that Coventry can cease being one of the highest-taxed communities in Rhode Island, Spear said. In order to do so, the town must start somewhere and “now is the time and now is the place to start.”Copies of the town council’s recommended budget are available on the Coventry town Web site: http://town.coventry.ri.us.

Residents can weigh in on the budget by voting at the Financial Town Meeting this Tuesday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at the high school auditorium.

Financial Town Meeting June 30th

2009-06-23T00:01:00.003-04:00

Posting a letter from Town Council Vice Pres. Laura Flanagan urging Coventry residents to attend next week's FTM. I have some comments on item numbers 3, 4, 7 and 8.

----

Hi All,

I need to ask for your help in spreading the word on the IMPORTANCE of every registered voter attending the

Financial Town Meeting on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 7 pm in the High School Auditorium.

Many people are under the false impression that the Council's adoption of a no tax increase budget, means that it is set in stone. This is NOT the case.

IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE YOUR TAXES GO UP, YOU MUST ATTEND AND VOTE AT THE FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING

CAST YOUR VOTES AGAINST CHANGES TO THE BUDGET

CAST YOUR VOTES FOR PASSAGE OF A ZERO TAX INCREASE BUDGET AS PRESENTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL.

In Coventry, the PEOPLE adopt a budget at the annual financial town meeting, not the Council. This is mandated by our Town's Charter.
The Council only works to develop what is presented at this meeting. There will be a vote taken, and every registered voter has a right to weigh in.

There are many special interests groups lobbying against what the Council has adopted, and they will be at this meeting to add money, increasing taxes, with their votes.

You will hear many exaggerations of this budget's impact on Town Services - these are misleading, at best. Here are a few and the truth of these matters:

1) The summer camp program run through Parks and Recs is going up from some $80 to $175.

a. THE TRUTH IS THIS FEE REPRESENTS THE CHARGE FOR AN ENTIRE 7 WEEKS OF FULL DAY CAMP! WE HAVE BEEN CHARGING ONLY $12 per week for full day camp! We all know paying the employees and all other related expenses costs far far more than $12 - and there is no other organization around that offers this great of a deal. The fee has been increased to $25 per week in the proposed budget... Still a really discounted rate for full day camp. The program is 7 weeks long - for a total of $175.

2) Raising the rate on Day Camp will make it impossible for families to afford.

a. THE TRUTH is that if a family cannot afford $25 per week, and is in need of camp in order to work, they can apply for Assistance through the Department of Human Services Waterman Fiske Assistance Program, established earlier this year by this Council. If qualified, the program can pay for the entire fee on behalf of a family.

3) Outside Organizations losing funding.

a. THE TRUTH IS that the Town of Coventry gives away approximately $100,000 each year to help support outside organizations. When times are tough, and we are asking town employees to take salary freezes, it would seem appropriate to stop making charitable contributions. The majority of this council eliminated the entire contribution budget, and did not single out any particular organization. It is my hope that contributions can be restored when the economy improves, and as the taxpayers deem appropriate.

******** MY COMMENT - I hope some way will be found to restore funding to the all-volunteer civic groups. WA ************

4) Funding for private sports organizations that use the Parks and Recs fields has been eliminated.

a. THE TRUTH: The Parks and Recs department, through its own budget (and not the Town's "Contribution" budget noted in (3) above), has made donations in the past to support private youth leagues. The Council did not instruct that these contributions be cut. The director of this department was given a figure for his budget and he alone decided to eliminate these donations, rather than trim other expenditures, or increase fees on programs (such as the day camp, dance lessons, and other programs offered through Parks & Rec for a nominal fee). At the financial town meeting, every taxpayer has the opportunity to move funding from one line item to another by Motion, Second and a vote of all in attendance.

******** MY COMMENT - I hope some way will be found to restore funding to the all-volunteer sports organizations. WA **************

5) PAYING FOR TRASH PICKUP.

a. THE TRUTH: This budget does not include paying for trash pickup. This service will continue to be provided and supported by tax dollars.

6) CLOSURE OF OAK HAVEN SCHOOL.

a. THE TRUTH: The Town council does NOT have the authority to close schools. The Council sets the overall budget for the school department - this year, some $62,000,000. The school committee is the elected body who decides if a school will remain opened or closed.

7) SENIOR TAX FREEZE.

a. THE TRUTH: The Town council has worked diligently to cut expenses, rather than changing or eliminating the Senior Tax Freeze. If this budget fails, and the State continues to reduce its aid to cities/towns (as is likely), the Senior Tax Freeze may well be jeopardized, as there are very few places left to generate new revenue, if expenses cannot be cut. It is not the desire of this Council to change the Senior Tax Freeze, as evidenced by the budget now before the taxpayers. We prefer reducing expenditures and running more efficiently.

************ MY COMMENT - We probably all know some friends, neighbors or relatives who have benefited from the senior tax freeze. The tax freeze was implemented some years ago without having first been studied to understand what the effects would be. Some eligibility guidelines were amended a year or two ago but otherwise the freeze was not changed. Before the freeze is ever amended, I recommend that a comprehensive study of the freeze be done first to determine how it has affected all taxpayers in town. WA ************

8) ATTORNEY'S HAVE BEEN GIVEN A 159% INCREASE IN PAY

a. THE TRUTH. In prior years, the Solicitor's budget of $179,000 has been put before and approved by the taxpayers of this community. All the while, the reality of actual expenditures for these fees tells a much different story. For the past two years, we have continually run far over the solicitor budget and these expenses have been paid from a variety of other line items, outside of the solicitor account. In 2007, the town spent approximately $340,000 on legal expenses and in 2006, the number was closer to $400,000, but still the $179K figure was budgeted. The current Town Council has chosen to place all expected legal expenses in one account, as opposed to under budgeting and overspending, failing to disclose to the taxpayer the true cost. This year the council has additionally agreed to take over school legal expenses, for approximately $75,000, in an effort to help the schools achieve a level funded budget. In all reality, we are forecasting a true increase of about 7 percent over last year's expenditures, AND NOT 159% AS FALSELY STATED. The result of attempting to bring these costs into one budget has the appearance of a large increase, however, this is not reality.

************MY COMMENT - The the town has not been disclosing the actual amounts that were spent on legal at least in the previous two years in a manner that any ordinary resident would notice. Starting this year there will be some transparency with this expenditure. We finally have the specialized legal counsel that was badly needed to deal with a few lawsuits pending against the town. A judgment against the town from any of these suits could cost us millions of dollars. This is money well spent. WA **************

When I campaigned earlier this year, I heard each voice in my district. Overwhelmingly, people desired tax relief and seniors desired protection of the tax freeze. It was my desire to reduce taxes, but that was simply impossible due to the cuts Coventry sustained from the state. Holding taxes steady, with no change to the freeze is the best we are able to bring forward, without hurting essential services to our residents. Now, however, it is up to the each of you to approve or disapprove of our proposal. As your councilwoman, I have kept my commitment to you. Now, I would ask you to come out on June 30th and cast your vote. Let's join together and say enough to high taxes, enough to hurting property values, enough to business as usual, enough to the greed of the vocal minority. These are your tax dollars and this is your town. Please be present on June 30th and VOTE! Every one counts.

Warmest regards,

Laura

Laura A. Flanagan
Vice President
Coventry Town Council
District 2

Meetings next week

2009-06-19T12:30:00.002-04:00

Town Council June 22: THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/75664.pdf

School Committee June 23. Includes workshop on elementary school redistricting plan:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/75721.pdf

Planning Commission June 24:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2009/75741.pdf

Includes the following agenda items -

Pre-Application: “Coventry Asphalt Silos”; Coventry Asphalt Realty,
LLC
Installation of 4 Hot Mix Asphalt Storage Silos
AP 52, Lot 62.1; Zone I1
75 Airport Road

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING-Continued
Master Plan: “Coventry Meadows”; Coventry Housing Associates
Corporation
Comprehensive Permit for Low/Mod Housing Land Development
Project
AP 38, Lot 100; Zone GB and AP 30, Lot 161; Zone R-20
Tiogue Avenue

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Major Land Development/Master Plan: “CVS Pharmacy”; R.I CVS
Pharmacy, LLC.
Proposed New Store
AP 38, Lots 105, 106 & 107; Zone GB
Tiogue Avenue & Wood Street

Board of Canvassers June 25:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4237/2009/75609.pdf

Note: The annual Financial Town Meeting will take place on June 30th.

The next Zoning Board meeting is scheduled for July 1st.
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4234/2009/75585.pdf

Our Greatest Deficit

2009-06-14T20:34:00.004-04:00

Below is a letter sent by TC Vice President Laura Flanagan to all the members of the School Committee on May 31, 2009. In it she clearly states her reasons for objecting to the new 3-year contract that was ultimately approved last Tuesday night. It's very informative.

If any member of the School Committee would like to provide me with a serious analysis of the new agreement with the CTA from their perspective, I would be glad to post it here.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May 31, 2009

Hand Delivered

Honorable Members of the Coventry
School Committee
Ms. Kathleen Patenaude, Chairperson
Mr. Andrew Perra, Vice Chairman
Mr. Thomas Heatherman
Ms. Lisa Tomasso
Ms. Nancy Sprengelmeyer

Dear Members of the School Committee:

The purpose of this letter is to state my position in a formal, written manner over the potential ratification and approval of a proposed new 3 year contract with the Coventry Teachers’ Alliance (“CTA”).

Let me begin by saying that I believe that all parties have been working very hard, and I want to recognize the value of those efforts. I also acknowledge that the School Committee, by virtue of our charter, has full authority to enter into contracts with the CTA, with or without the consent of the Town Council.

In late March, I received an e-mail from Ms. Kelly Erinakes, President of the CTA, requesting a meeting or telephone conversation. We did connect by telephone and talked for some time, in an effort to find common ground, regarding the tentative terms of an arrangement whereby the CTA would make some $700,000-$800,000 in salary concessions in exchange for a commitment from the Town Council to Levy $750,000 in new taxes as a show of its “commitment to education”. I firmly stated my belief was that a $62,000,000 budget was quite a commitment to education. I was also very clear in stating my fundamental disagreement to any union being allowed to bargain with a demand for tax increases.

On May 16th, Council President Spear indicated to me that Mr. DiPietro thought he could secure a “0-0-0” contract with the CTA, essentially freezing the 08-09 salary schedule. Mr. Spear and another member of the council met with Mr. DiPietro on Sunday, May 17th, to discuss the proposal. Mr. DiPietro indicated that if the Council adopted a budget that level funded the schools, as it was prepared to do on Monday, May 18th, the CTA would cut off all negotiations and he would be forced to close Oak Haven and cut the programs he had previously outlined to the public. Based upon this representation, the Council unanimously tabled the budget at its May 18th meeting to allow time for the school committee to finalize this agreement.

Last week, Mr. Spear and Mr. DiPietro met to review the final details of a tentative agreement reached with the CTA. I was provided with copies of a detailed analysis of the agreement. Rather than a “0-0-0”, the deal more accurately represents “0.23%-0.74%-2%” (weighted average increase to salary schedule in each of the next 3 years). The following weekend was spent reviewing, analyzing and discussing the new 3 year contract your committee now seeks to approve. My understanding is that the committee originally sought the “blessing” of the Council over this arrangement, and a commitment to increase taxes by $750,000. I contacted Mr. DiPietro by phone with concerns/questions, not entirely dismissing the proposal, but seeking clarification on a few points. We had several lengthy, detailed conversations. I also discussed the arrangement with 2 members of the School Committee, expressing my concerns over the agreement, and listening to their points of view.

The apparent unwillingness of the CTA, the Superintendent and School Committee to attempt to secure concessions in the remaining year of the current contract (rather than a 3 year contract), with true givebacks to the community to save children’s programs is disturbing and prevents the Town from ascertaining funding sources next year. Why are the parties closing their eyes to the potential risks associated with guarantees of salary increases 3 years out, in a time of such great uncertainty? RIPEC has publicly released information in its article appearing on the front page of the May 25, 2009 Providence Journal indicating its forecast for Rhode Island Towns/Cities. The forecast is bleak: expenses are expected to rise at a greater rate than revenues and the deficit we now face is projected to grow greater in the coming years. In addition, I was recently made aware by Mr. West, our finance director, that the State is considering reducing the Reimbursement of Auto Excise tax exemptions to Cities and Towns this year; this has the potential to represent up to $1,000,000 in lost revenue for Coventry. It is unclear whether or not we will be allowed relief from Senate Bill 3050 regarding any such reduction. Further, the leadership of the Council has been advised of additional liabilities likely payable in 09-10 exceeding $1,000,000, although we are not at liberty to publicly discuss the particulars, due to the sensitive ongoing nature of litigation discussions.

After having the opportunities described in the paragraphs above to listen, ask questions and analyze the tentative agreement, as well as the current economic climate and other issues the Town will face this year and next, it is clear to me that this proposal does not represent what was originally offered and contains risks that the Town should not responsibly assume.

My interpretation and understanding of some of the details contained in the proposal are as follows:

1) A reduction of the work year by 3 days, from 186 to 183, with a slight increase in salary.

2) The addition of 3 days in the form of “Professional Development”, at a cost of $150,000.

3) An increase in the longevity schedule of $250 at every level, with an estimated expense of $50,000 in the first year. This addition gives the majority of top step teachers a salary increase outside of the salary schedule and these numbers will be difficult to reduce in future negotiations.

4) The freezing of co-payments towards health insurance for the first 2 years at a fixed dollar amount that represents 15% of the cost today. I believe there is significant risk in this concession, the greatest being in year 2. Blue Cross has publicly stated its intentions to increase its rates by some 15-18%. Although we participate in the West Bay Collaborative, this increase could significantly affect the cost of the Stop Loss Policy, and would then be entirely borne by the school/town, having the potential to wipe out any savings achieved in that year. A significant increase in claims would also pose an added risk of increases. I believe this concession is a gamble we may not win.

5) The illustrations which I reviewed indicate that the proposal gives teachers not on top step a weighted average increase this year of 7.27%, next year of 7.07% and 8.27% in year three.

6) The proposal contains the option for the CTA to renegotiate another three year contract, in the event that funding is not available in later years.

I believe that the time allowed by tabling the budget has been used to finalize the terms of an agreement already in the works for months, as evidenced by Ms. Erinakes' email and telephone call, in late March, outlining and seeking support for the same.

If it is true, as represented to me by members of the School Committee, that Mr. Erinakes and Attorney Tobin took part in School Committee executive session discussions held on Tuesday, May 26th, 2009, over this proposal, then I find the negotiation process deeply disconcerting. The nepotism provisions of the Rhode Island Code of Ethics are quite clear on the prohibition of the involvement of public employees in contract negotiations, when in fact their spouses, or other immediate family members, are covered by the subject contract.

Where is our Courage? Why are we not standing together (the school committee and the Council) seeking a one year contract with concessions? Is it simply too difficult? Is the union unwilling? Is this the way it is always done? When are we going to start considering the consequences of the decisions we make today on our ability to pay tomorrow?

It is my belief that the end does not always justify the means. While I recognize that the salary schedule is slightly lower at the end of this new 3-year deal, than it would be in the 09-10 current contract (which would be fantastic in a prosperous, predictable economy), a new three year contract in the current climate is truly more beneficial to the union than the school/town. It offers protection for the union during difficult economic times and places all of the risk on the town/taxpayers. It is my belief that the School Committee would have a significant bargaining advantage and the ability to achieve greater, long-term results, most beneficial to the children and residents of our community, if the last year of the current contract were simply renegotiated.

Lastly, and most importantly, if this proposed contract is accepted, I believe it is highly probable the Town will not have the resources available next year or the year after to fund it, due to all of the aforementioned considerations. We may well find ourselves in the same position we are in today…. choosing between salaries and programs/services for children.

Perhaps our greatest deficit in Coventry is COURAGE.

Very truly yours,

Laura A. Flanagan
Vice President
Coventry Town Council

cc: Council President Raymond Spear

News Articles, Town Budget, New Teacher Contract

2009-06-11T08:14:00.003-04:00

Kent County Times article on Town Budget passage:

Cov. council narrowly passes budget

Tuesday, 09 June 2009
HANNAH CLARKIN

COVENTRY — On a council split two against two, Council President Raymond Spear had the deciding vote on the fiscal year 2010 budget Monday night.
The budget, which Spear prepared with Council Vice-President Laura Flanagan, Finance Director Warren West and acting Town Manager Paul Sprague, came in at a total of $87,021,668, representing a 6.6 percent reduction in the operating costs, a more-than halved capital improvement budget and a level-funded school budget.This budget, nearly $2 million less than the fiscal year 2009 budget, was vocally supported by Flanagan and Councilman Glenford Shibley at the meeting. Both Councilman Frank Hyde and Councilman Kenneth Cloutier said they were uncomfortable with the cuts in the budget and the way it would impact town services. Spear did not state his opinion until the other council members had discussed the budget.The idea of a 0 percent tax increase is an admirable one, Cloutier said, but he was cautious to pass the budget without residents realizing how their services would be impacted. “I fear people won’t know what the cuts are until they happen,” he said. In his personal experience, cuts to the recreation department will take a third of the budget from the local football team, the Rams, and put a $7,000 burden on the people who play.“There are 4,200 kids who play in the town leagues,” he said. “So cuts to recreation are a sore spot with me.”

Hyde was in agreement with Cloutier, he said. “I see the positive reasons for a 0 percent tax increase,” he said. “But we’re cutting a snow plow driver, we’re hurting the kids, and its hard for me to look at my consituents knowing that their children will have to pay to play on the town fields and their services won’t be what they used to be.”Taking money out of the reserves to sustain the 0 percent tax increase and soften the cuts was his suggestion, Hyde said.There is currently $4.9 million in the unrestricted fund balance, said West. Of that, the town has to keep at least $4.4 million in order to keep a good credit rating, this leaves approximately $400,000 that could be used to suppliment the budget this year, West said. There is already $140,000 from the fund balance in the budget to account for deficits in the upcoming fiscal year. She supported the budget, Flanagan said, not because she was elected by any special interest groups, but because she listened to folks as she walked door to door during her campaign season. The overwhelming request from her constituents was for a tax break, and she vowed to support that.“My position hasn’t changed,” Flanagan said. “We’re asking folks to do more with less money. But if we don’t make some major changes it’s going to get worse and worse. I feel badly about some of the things in the budget — in the past we’ve given money away as charitable donations — but we can’t do that this year.“The taxpayers in this town deserve to have leaders who will fight for them,” Flanagan continued, “no matter what pressure comes or how it comes to them.”

Shibley’s campaign promises were similar to Flanagan’s, he said. “This is not an easy budget,” he admitted. “People are making concessions, but they can make that work. We have to hold the line on taxes.”Spear recognized the two sides of the table, he said, and came to a decision after many hours of thought and prayer, bearing in mind his years of background and experience.“Our obligations for tomorrow are already extended beyond reasonable and responsible levels of expectation, resources and funding,” he said in a prepared address. “This requires the necessity to deal with all related factors on a short term of expanding commitment, more careful and responsible planning, and based on more stable assurance that the funding ability to meet such commitments can be reasonably and responsibly met.”Implicit in his remarks, Spear made clear later, was disapproval of the newly negotiated school contract that the school committee will consider this week.“Let us not reach beyond that which we can responsibly control and commit to, based on the facts of today, as we strive to meet our needs and wants of our tomorrows,” he continued.“With these thoughts in mind, I find it necessary, appropriate, and in the best interest of the taxpayers of the community of Coventry, to set forth the programs and services for fiscal 2010 as established in the budget that herewith presented.”

When Spear moved the question so the council could vote on the matter, a resident in the audience made a point of order. She wanted to comment on the budget before the council voted, she said.This was not the appropriate forum, said Spear. “We have had four to six workshops on this budget where you could have commented,” he said. “Now we are going to finish the council’s business and public comment will be after we vote.”The auditorium erupted with shouts, boos and attempts to speak. The auditorium at the Town Hall Annex, the old Flat River Road Middle School, was filled with at least 200 residents who had come to weigh in on the budget. Teachers, veterans, seniors, members of local sports associations, and residents of every political persuasion were there to have their say.But this was not the forum, insisted Spear, even as Hyde challenged him, yelling and waving his arms. Spear took a short recess and allowed the police and town sergeant to quiet the meeting attendees.When the meeting opened back up, the audience began to chant, “let us speak, let us speak, let us speak,” along with claps and stomps.“You have your opportunity to speak at the Financial Town Meeting,” Spear said. “You have had your time to speak at our work sessions. This is not a public hearing and there is no public comment on this item.”

Shibley made a motion to accept the budget, Flanagan seconded it, and the budget passed with a vote of 3-2, Hyde and Cloutier dissenting.In the public comment that followed, the council received both accolades and criticism. But, almost universally, taxpayers were disappointed that the council had not allowed them an opportunity to speak before the budget was voted on.

KCT article on School Committee's passage of new teacher contract:

New teacher contract passed

Wednesday, 10 June 2009
HANNAH CLARKIN

COVENTRY — The Coventry School Committee entered into a new three-year contract with the Coventry Teachers’ Alliance on Tuesday night with a vote of 5-0.
Passage of the contract was not originally the plan for the evening, Chairwoman Katherine Patenaude said, but after hearing from the public and gaining a consensus that the whole school committee was ready to vote, she was ready to take the vote.“Because there was public notice previously that we were having the discussion I think that people who really wanted to know more about it could have made it out to the meeting,” she said. “The people who were there had their say.”The contract, as outlined by Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro represents a cut of approximately $2,210 per teacher over the next year and will save roughly $1 million in the first year.

The first year of the contract is frozen at the 2008-2009 salary schedule, the second year gives every teacher a flat raise of $500 and the third year each step receives a 2 percent increase. When that 2 percent increase comes in, DiPietro said, salaries will still be lower than they would have been just in 2009-2010, had the previous contract continued through to the end of next year. In addition to salary concessions, DiPietro said, some other concessions in the contract included freezing advanced degree increments, curriculum coordinator stipends, coaches stipends, co-curricular club stipends, and hourly professional development rates at the 2007-2008 schedules, DiPietro said. These will be frozen until 2012. Longevity rates were increased, given a flat increase all three years, he added.Through negotiations, the contract also contains language to specify the appropriate uses of advisory, the acceptable uses of common planning time, and the protocol for closing a school. “People say that contracts never talk about students and making a school better,” DiPietro said. “This one does. It puts requirements and expectations on planning time for teachers. And it gives checklists for teachers monitoring their students’ graduation portfolio and capstone projects. I don’t think most districts have these things written into their contracts.”

The contract does give teachers a health insurance contribution freeze, DiPietro said. But the freeze is only in effect for Fiscal Years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011. In 2011/2012 the full 15 percent co-pay will be reinstated. Teachers will be given a $350 reimbursement for purchasing instructional materials, DiPietro said. This funding will come from the supplies lines in the budget.A major give-back that the school committee gave the teachers is a limited layoff provision, DiPietro said. “Tenured teachers with four years of service in Coventry are not subject to layoff,” he said in his presentation. Currently there are only 20 to 30 teachers in Coventry who would be eligible for layoff until the contract is ended. While several teachers and residents did speak in favor of the contract, several residents spoke against it.One resident who identified himself as Joe Brown was not satisfied with DiPietro’s presentation of the budget. “I have to be honest, I’m real confused,” he said. “That’s a lot of information. It looks to me like there is a lot of fluff in the teachers’ salaries with the step increases and I don’t think you’re giving us an accurate picture.”DiPietro did not explain the step increases. “You’re amazingly disrespectful, Mr. Brown,” he said. “You’re accusing me of giving you incorrect information and I am not, these are the numbers.”

The school committee was interested in questions, Patenaude added. “If you have a question, we’ll answer it. Your opinions are not what we are interested in. If you want to stay for public comment you may do so.”Brown requested that the school committee try one more time to go back and get further concessions from the union.“Mr. Brown,” Patenaude responded. “We have met with the unions and we have done our job.”“So you’re satisfied?” Brown asked.“Yes,” Patenaude responded. The answer to the request of more concessions would be “no,” said President of the Coventry Teachers’ Alliance Kelly Erinakas after Brown’s question.“The school committee did what they were asked to and negotiated,” she said. “So did the Coventry Teachers’ Alliance. Members are giving up $2,700 each next year. That’s a lot out of anyone’s pocket and no, you cannot get more.”

Town Republican Committee Chair Charles Vacca asked for a figure of the cost of this contract over the next few years.Coming up with a specific number of the cost involves too many factors, DiPietro told him. The contract will cost an additional $1 million more in health care alone, and many other things will weigh in. Entering a contract without knowing the financial forecast of the town concerned him, Vacca said. “This whole system has a pitfall where we enter into contracts before we know what funds we will have.”

Having closed discussion, the school committee voted unanimously to accept the contract. Yesterday morning, Patenaude was still satisfied with the new contract, she said. “The people who really have their ear to the ground so to speak on what’s going on with contracts in the town knew the details already because we had shared them with the town council the day before,” she said. “[Council President Raymond Spear] showed up and didn’t have any questions, we certainly didn’t get any other calls from people saying ‘what are you thinking?’ And [Councilman] Frank Hyde came to the meeting and commended us for signing the contract.”

Meetings

2009-06-01T12:33:00.002-04:00

Land Trust 6/2:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4244/2009/74733.pdf

Tax Assessment Review Board 6/2:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2009/74736.pdf

Zoning Board 6/3:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4234/2009/74273.pdf

Library Board 6/3:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4245/2009/74517.pdf

Board of Canvassers June 8th:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4237/2009/74532.pdf

The FTM is now scheduled for June 30th.

Town Budget

2009-05-20T12:36:00.003-04:00

This may not be a good year to propose a tax increase. WW voted their budget down last night. See article from the KC Times:

WW residents vote down budgets

Tuesday, 19 May 2009
HANNAH CLARKIN
hclarkin@ricentral.com

WEST WARWICK — Taxpayers defeated the municipal budget, school budget, and voted down any tax levy with a resounding majority at the Town Financial Meeting last night.
Of the 416 voters counted by the West Warwick Board of Canvassers in a ballot vote, 333 voted against the municipal budget presented by the town council at $30,512,700, a majority in a standing vote defeated the school department budget of $49,269,685, and all but three people voted down a motion to keep the tax levy the same as it was last year.With nearly three times the attendance of last year’s financial town meeting, the meeting began at 7 p.m. and did not let out until 10:45 p.m. In his opening remarks Council President David Gosselin appealed to the taxpayers of West Warwick for help by supporting the budget. “We are in the perfect storm and this is a wave we need to get through and a wave we will overcome you’re your support tonight,” he said.But multiple residents criticized the council and the school committee for coming to them with a budget that included a 4.75 percent increase in a time of economic difficulty. More than one resident warned the council that an increase in taxes would push them into foreclosure on their home.

Seniors and other residents of fixed incomes voiced the same concerns. A comment from resident Alan Johnson drew applause and cheers from the audience when he told town leadership that they would never have better attendance at their meetings until they started running the town differently. “Until you learn how to handle department heads, pensions, and health insurance, they’re not going to come to your meetings because they don’t believe that they can make a difference,” he said. Although School Committee Chairwoman Lindagay Palazzo introduced the school budget for Fiscal Year 2010 as a victory of recent history, coming in at $3,645,140 less than the allocation the schools requested last year, the residents voted it down. The resolution regarding the tax levy was originally worded to allow for a 4.75 increase in the tax levy, but when he presented it, Councilman Peter Calci set the figure at the fiscal year 2009 tax levy, in an effort to prevent any increase in taxes. It was voted down in spite of this adjustment.Even if the levy stayed at the 2009 level, Beattie said, there would still be an increase in taxes because the state has changed motor vehicle taxes and money is apportioned differently in the town this year.

By voting down the budgets for 2010, Council President David Gosselin said at the end of the meeting, the taxpayers chose a municipal and a school budget that are higher than the ones proposed for this year. The $2.2 million increase in the fiscal year 2010 budget, Gosselin said, was to close the gap left by losses in state aid and other local revenues and by the new settlement payments for the Station Fire, the actual budgets presented by the schools and the municipal government represented a decrease in operating expenses. Leaving the Town Financial Meeting, residents expressed confusion about what would happen next.Even as tax assessor, Beattie wasn’t sure, he said. “Both the budget and the tax levy have not been voted down for at least the last thirty years,” he said on his way out of the meeting. “I have no idea what comes next. As far as I know we’re not even authorized to send out tax bills.”

The Home Rule Charter does speak to this situation, according to Town Solicitor Gregory S. Inman, who provided legal counsel during the meeting. In Section 504, “Failure to complete the budget,” the council is direct that “in the event that the budget shall not have received final approval by the start of the fiscal year, the departments, officials and agencies of the town shall have the authority to continue making expenditures at the rates authorized in the budget of the previous fiscal year until such a time as a new budget shall have been approved,” the charter reads.

Unlike many municipalities, Inman said, West Warwick is not required to take any further action. They may continue to operate until the fiscal year 2009 budget if they see fit. They do have the option, he added, under the West Warwick Special Acts Code, to call an all-day referendum to vote on an amended budget that is lower than the amount proposed that was voted down, or to call another Financial Town Meeting and try for any amount by presenting warrants. “But there is no time frame,” Inman said. “Nothing bars them from [continuing with last year’s amount.]”

The voters did look favorably upon two of the five warrants read at the Town Financial Meeting. They voted to allow the town to pay bills that come in after the fiscal year is over, as long as they were for items that fell within the fiscal year 2009 budget. They also voted to allow the school department to spend any federal or state funding that they are awarded over the next fiscal year.

Busy Meeting Week

2009-05-15T21:59:00.002-04:00

There's a lot of meeting activity this coming week:

Town Council May 18. Please note the location of the meeting:
Town Hall Annex Auditorium
1675 Flat River Road, Coventry, RI
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/74156.pdf

Board of Canvassars May 19:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4237/2009/73207.pdf

Town of Coventry Animal Control, vicious dog hearing May 19:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/3763/2009/74005.pdf

Housing Authority May 20:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4242/2009/74022.pdf

Planning Commission May 20:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2009/74029.pdf

Thomas Jefferson Quotes

2009-05-13T12:44:00.002-04:00

I received an e-mail with some T. Jefferson quotes which I found interesting.

John Kennedy once said to a assembled group of scholars in the White House "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
The quotes below could prove his point.
His words have come to pass..................

The quotes --

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe .

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.

These are all quotes attributed to Mr. Jefferson. See also http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/thomasjeff109181.html

Letter to the Editor

2009-05-12T12:44:00.002-04:00

Posting an LTE written by Joel Johnson that appeared in the KC Times on 05/11/09.

Time for Creative Thinking in Coventry

Based on the initial reaction of the School Committee to the suggestion by the Town Council that their budget might be level-funded for FY 2009-10, it appears that very little thought went into how to meet that challenge while having the least effect on the education received by the town’s school children. Instead, the School Committee chose to trot out the same old, tired list of threatened cuts that every school committee has held over the heads of frightened parents for at least the past 40 years: “We’ll have to cut sports!, We’ll have to cut extra-curricular activities!, We’ll have to eliminate ROTC!, We’ll have to close a school!” - all the while feigning incredulity. Oh so predictable, oh so disingenuous.

There is no doubt that the Town of Coventry pays a premium to have its children educated. Asking the school department to absorb what amounts to only a 3% cut to its increased funding request (while the municipal side is being told to brace for what amounts to a 10% cut below the current level of funding) is, under the circumstances, getting off easy. To claim that “It can’t be done!” implies an admitted lack of creativity and/or laziness on the part of the School Committee and the administration. I choose to believe that isn’t the case. Rather, I believe that Superintendent Di Pietro is more than up to the challenge of meeting the goal set before him by the Town Council. No one can dispute that he’s a smart, savvy individual who knows his way around a budget dilemma. It’s now time for him to prove his worth and deliver the goods.

Please stop the hysteria! It is time that the taxpayers of Coventry demand that their elected School Committee representatives stop the bellyaching and do what is prudent and justifiable in light of the current financial challenges facing our town, state and nation. Furthermore, this can be accomplished without having to plead their case while groveling at the feet of the Coventry Teachers Alliance. Renegotiating that contract at this point is a bad idea, completely unnecessary and, in the long term, counter-productive. To do so now would be tantamount to merely “kicking the can down the road”. Past experience would indicate that every dollar in union “concessions” would likely yield two or more dollars in additional costs somewhere down the line - thus, shouldering the Coventry taxpayer with an even bigger burden in the future.

Enough is enough. No tax rate increase in Coventry is possible. Dedicated public officials can make it a reality if they choose to do so. Taxpayers should thank them for it.

Joel Johnson
Coventry, Rhode Island

Upcoming Meetings

2009-05-12T00:32:00.000-04:00

Conservation Board 5/12:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4239/2009/73658.pdf

School Committee 5/12:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/73675.pdf

Tax Assessment Review Board 5/12:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2009/73742.pdf

Board of Canvassors 5/19:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4237/2009/73207.pdf

Clarification from Coumcil Member

2009-05-11T12:29:00.002-04:00

Forwarding an e-mail from TC Vice Pres. Laura Flanagan that clarifies her previous memo on proposing a zero property tax increase.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to take a moment and provide clarity to a point raised in the below e-mail. My e-mail is not intended to imply, nor should it be construed to mean, that the Superintendent concurs with my opinion, but is to say that I have had the opportunity to ask questions of him in person, and have taken his views into account, as well as the views of many others, before formulating an opinion. I am convinced that we all share a common goal… the desire for an excellent educational system for our children, provided at the most cost effective/efficient manner.

That said, I remain convinced that a 3% reduction in the School Budget (level funding) could be accomplished with a minimal impact on children’s programs. As I mentioned, it would involve “sacrifice”. I arrive at that opinion, in large part, due to the knowledge that the increase in this year’s budget is primarily due to salaries and benefits. Despite all of the rumors and speculation you may hear, I do not believe that level funding will destroy Coventry’s educational system if we create efficiency and seek some amount of sacrifice!

I continue to be interested in the thoughts of all Coventry taxpayers as to an increase in our property tax levy, as we draw nearer to the adoption of a FY 09-10 Budget and I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Warmest regards,
Laura

Message Regarding Property Taxes

2009-05-06T12:43:00.001-04:00

I received an e-mail from TC Vice President Laura Flanagan, see below. I could use a break on my property taxes and support a zero increase this year if it's at all possible.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you want to pay more in property tax to protect the “status quo” and continue “business as usual”?

ANSWER: (please provide your thoughts with as much, or as little, detail as you are comfortable with)

Okay, so here’s the scoop. The Town Council is fairly close to closing in on a budget for 09-10 that calls for a ZERO tax increase for property owners! As you can imagine, achieving this result was very difficult and the UNIONS are lobbying hard against this proposal spreading gross exaggerations of the impact on “our children”. I have personally met with the Superintendent of Schools and I believe the schools can be level funded with minimal impact to children’s programs. There will be changes that create efficiency, and some sacrifice. We have already made proposals to reduce the Town budget by over 10%. We are only asking 3% from the schools.

I can assure you that our sons and daughters will not be jobless, homeless or unable to compete in our world in the future because the 2009 Town Council asked the school to reduce it’s budget by 3%! 3% of a $64 Million budget in the midst of the worst recession we have seen since the Great Depression is not an unreasonable reduction request.

SPREAD THE WORD.

Two points here.

1) As taxpayers, you have a VOICE. It’s time that the Town Council and School Committee heard directly from the voters who elected them! We have had ENOUGH of high taxes with no end in sight!
2) If ordinary taxpayers remain silent, the only voices being heard are those with a special interest….. and taxes WILL GO UP.

What can you do to support a ZERO tax increase this year?

1) Answer the question above and send this e-mail to at least 10 people you know in Coventry concerned about their tax bill. Please ask them to share their thoughts on this matter and send it along to 10 people they know, repeating the same process.
2) In your request, ensure that a cc: is sent to me at megsmile38@gmail.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND ATTEND THE FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING ON JUNE 9TH TO BE HELD IN THE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM AND TELL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS YOU WILL NOT BEAR ANOTHER TAX INCREASE! COVENTRY NEEDS TO MOVE IN A NEW DIRECTION.

Laura A. Flanagan
Vice President
Coventry Town Council
District 2

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."- Margaret Mead

16 Knotty Oak Lane
Coventry, RI 02816
megsmile38@gmail.com
(401) 378-3566

Meetings this week

2009-04-26T21:01:00.002-04:00

TC 04/27/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/73055.pdf

SC 04/28/09 - Executive Session:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/72958.pdf

Tax Assessment Review 04/28/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2009/73101.pdf

Next week - Zoning, May 6th:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4234/2009/72770.pdf

Proposed Board/Commission Appointment Procedure

2009-04-16T12:37:00.003-04:00

Sorry, I do not favor this ordinance as proposed. It gives too much power/control to the chairs of the local Democrat and Republican parties. There is no provision for any resident, whether they are a D, R or unaffiliated to directly submit their name to the town for committee positions. If a resident is a member of a certain party and is not on good terms with that party's chair then the resident would have a slim chance of being nominated for a board position. The ordinance calls for representation on these boards by both major parties but is silent on how independents are to be represented. I fear that many qualified residents who are unaffiliated, who would like to serve or are presently serving on town committees will not want to go through the party chairs as part of this new application process. If the TC insists on passing this new ordinance, I hope they will at least include some provision for direct submission of applications from the public and also state the extent to which unaffiliated residents will be represented on boards.

Council revisits repealed dictate

Wednesday, 15 April 2009
HANNAH CLARKIN

COVENTRY — An ordinance to maintain bi-partisan membership on town-council appointed bodies provoked a lengthy discussion at the Monday night council meeting.

The ordinance, drafted by Town Solicitor Patrick Rogers at the request of the council, requires that minority parties in the town be represented on every town body over which the council has authority. The boards would not be repopulated upon the passage of the ordinance, it stipulates. Rather, as openings come up, the council will request a list of three names from the chair of the majority and minority parties in the town. One minority party would be required on a body with three members; two out of a membership of five; three out of a membership of seven; four out of a membership of nine; and so on, the draft of the ordinance reads.Residents interested in serving on one of these bodies would submit their applications to the chairpersons of the majority and minority committees, who would then provide the council with a list of three names for each open position.

This proposal would restore an ordinance that was repealed within the last decade, Rogers said at the meeting. The intent of the ordinance, Rogers said, “is to insure that there is representation of all views, especially the minority party,” and speaking to the current minority, he added, “The shoe could be on the other foot.”Whatever majority is on the council will be automatically reflected in the makeup of these bodies, if this ordinance is approved, according to Council Vice-President Raymond Spear. There was a reason that this ordinance was repealed in the past, Councilman Frank Hyde, said during council discussion, indicating that he did not think restoring this ordinance was necessary. This ordinance would make it very difficult for independent or unaffiliated residents to find a place on town committees, commented resident Wayne Asselin. He likes the easy access of the current process, Asselin said, where anyone in the community can submit an application to the council and be interviewed.

As the ordinance was written on Monday, the minority and majority party chairs would be the “funnel” through which all applicants would go, Rogers said. If the council so desired, he can rewrite it to represent a third-way for independents and unaffiliated applicants to get appointments without going to a party chair.The council voted 3-1 to pass the ordinance on its first reading; Hyde dissented.While they did pass the first reading, Rogers expects that the ordinance will be reworked before it reaches its second reading and will have to be advertised again.“The town council is committed to bi-partisanship and balance on all of the town of Coventry Boards and commissions and very much wants to include independents and all non affiliated voters on boards and commissions,” Rogers said. What the draft presented on Monday does not specifically provide is an easy mechanism for independents and non-affiliated to apply for these positions, Rogers said. “While they did a first passage on Monday, the council wants to see some substantial changes to accomplish the goals that I just outlined. We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board to accomplish that goal so when it comes before the council next time it will be a substantially new draft.”

There are currently 22 unfilled positions on town bodies, said Council Vice-Chair Raymond Spear on Monday night. Not all the bodies currently represent both majority and minority parties, he added.Coming up with 66 names each is a tall order, said Republican Committee Chair Charles Vacca and Democratic Party Chair Rick Kalunian, respectively. If the council wants to fill all those positions immediately after an ordinance is passed, Vacca and Kalunian will be responsible for coming up with 132 names.

Thoughts on the Town Budget

2009-04-13T12:30:00.003-04:00

Here are some ideas on the town budget by Town Council member Laura Flanagan. If anyone has ideas on how the town can save $$ please attend the public hearings on the municipal budget Wednesday 4/15 and the school budget Thurs. 4/16 and share them.

It is important for the taxpayers of Coventry to be educated and informed as to the finances of their town. I have long felt that our tax burden was too high and the underlying reasons for this burden were not being discussed with or disclosed to the community. Year after year, we have borne large increases, bringing us to a crossroad, the place we are today. I would submit to you that our community can no longer sustain such increases. During my campaign, and today, I was and remain committed to addressing the tax burden with conservative, fiscally sound decisions. I believe that my fellow council members are committed to this end, as well. The newly elected members of the Council share a love of Coventry and a desire to advocate for the taxpayers of the community. Further, they possess the tools, breadth of background, wisdom and knowledge necessary to take on the task before us.

It goes without saying, our national economy is in the midst of a difficult, long lasting recession that we have yet to see a clear way out of. “Why?” and “How?” many ask, did this occur. I would like to offer a brief, yet poignant answer, to this large question. As individuals, and as a society, we have lived well beyond our means for far too long. Today, we are brought the reality that we can no longer do so. As Rhode Islanders, we are all very much aware of the added stress this recession places on our own State’s economy, with unemployment and foreclosure rates at a height most of us have not seen in our lifetimes, and a State deficit that is staggering.

Here in Coventry, we are in the midst of the 2009/2010 budget cycle. Taxpayers will hear many things from many different special interests groups who are struggling to maintain the “status quo”. Some will say that this new council is being “dramatic” or that we are “alarmists”. Some will say that we have misrepresented the revenues and expenditures of our town to the public. Many groups will say that their departments are too important or too essential to take one dime less than they received last year. Some will say that it just isn’t fair. The truth of the matter is simple…. We must change the way local government operates in Coventry. We cannot continue down the same path, because we can no longer afford “business as usual”. By human nature, people are generally afraid of change. Comfort is found in the normal routines we have grown accustomed to. Even still, it is true that hard times and drastic measures can bring folks together, to brainstorm and think outside the box, resulting in a positive plan to move forward. We, as a community, should embrace the financial position we find ourselves in and allow it to move us in a positive direction, creating efficiency and using our innovation to become a better, wiser and more thoughtful community. It is clearly time to move Coventry in a new direction.

Our financial problems will not go away by hiding from them, masking them, creating paper numbers that are more attractive or by any other tool of avoidance. Positive change only comes when we stand willing to face and address problems squarely.

So, here is the challenge….

As a council, we received a proposed budget that called for approximately $5,500,000 in new money. This figure is arrived at for a number of reasons.

1) Governor Carcieri, and our state representatives, have indicated that there will be no state aid to towns and cities in fiscal year 2009/2010. This results in $847,000 in lost State Aid and Grants for Coventry.
2) The phase-out of excise automobile tax resulted in an additional loss of revenue to Coventry of approximately $500,000.
3) There have been declines in general Town revenues in the approximate amount of $598,000. These declines relate, in large part, to local economic conditions, consisting of reductions in land evidence recordings, building permits, licensing fees, interest on investments, among other things.
4) An additional structural deficit was created by the prior council through its use of $653,606 from the Town’s reserve fund to meet expenses in the 2008/2009 fiscal year.

These items, when aggregated, represent an approximate $2,600,000 deficit before new requests from the school or other departments are considered. The school has requested approximately $1,900,000 and municipal departments have requested approximately $1,000,000. $2,600,000 (deficit) plus $1,900,000 (requested from schools) plus $1,000,000 (requested by municipal departments) equals $5,500,000.

Senate Bill 3050 places a cap on the amount a municipality can raise in revenue from taxes. This year, the limit is 4.75% of last year’s levy, or approximately $2,807,610. (For budgeting purposes, we estimate a 98% rate of collection during the fiscal year, or $2,751,457.) It is important to note that the auto excise tax loss of $500,000 is added back, bringing the total maximum allowable increase on taxpayers to approximately $3,307,610, or an average 6% increase to property owners.

In simple terms, if the Council were inclined to raise taxes to the maximum amount, it would still lack over $2,000,000. ($5,500,000 (need) minus $3,300,000 in new, collected taxes equals $2,200,000).

I submit to you that a full increase on the taxpayers of Coventry is unacceptable. Folks in our community are struggling, some out of work, some with reduced hours, some facing foreclosures. Businesses are struggling as well, with a number being forced to close their doors. Our real estate market is seeing very little movement or growth, and there is an approximate 91 pupil decline in enrollment in our schools.

I would also suggest that taking from our reserve account to plug this whole is not a wise, or responsible, option. Our $5,000,000 reserve account is more than offset by debt primarily loaned out to the Sewer Enterprise Fund of approximately $5,500,000 in the form of tax anticipation notes. As you will note, this liability is larger than our cash reserves! If we dip into this fund, we can be fairly certain of a number of negative consequences:

1) We could face a significant increase in the interest rate on our debt (it currently stands at 5% but could increase to the maximum amount allowed under state law);
2) We would decrease our credit worthiness (our bond rating). A decrease here would make it costly to bond necessary projects in the future, and may even preclude us from issuing bonds, when appropriate.
3) We would create an additional structural deficit for the FY 2010-2011, only pushing today’s problems off to tomorrow. We cannot go into the next fiscal year creating deficit of over $2,000,000 before we are even out of the gate.

If our desire is to create a local economy that attracts young families and businesses to move into our community, we must work diligently to lower our tax burden. Lower taxes stimulate growth. Lower taxes give residents more money to put into their local economy. Lower taxes attract businesses that can further stimulate growth.

We simply must decrease our expenses and live within our means. This is certainly a large challenge and this Council has given our department heads a tough, but attainable, job to do. With the right attitude and by coming together as a community, I believe we can accomplish this task. If we do so, Coventry will indeed be better for it in the future.

Laura A. Flanagan
Councilwoman – District 2
Coventry

Meetings next week

2009-04-10T12:39:00.002-04:00

Town Council 4/13/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/72411.pdf

School Committee 4/14/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/72325.pdf

Conservation Commission 04/14/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4239/2009/72088.pdf

Tax Assessment Review Board 04/14/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2009/72441.pdf

Housing Authority 4/15/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4242/2009/72425.pdf

I think there are public budget hearings on 4/15 and 4/16 but need to confirm.

Yes, Please Re-work the Budget

2009-04-08T12:35:00.003-04:00

Cov. council must rework budget

Tuesday, 07 April 2009
HANNAH CLARKIN

hclarkin@ricentral.com

COVENTRY — The Coventry Town Council called for a complete reworking of the budget prepared by acting Town Manager Paul Sprague at their first work session with department heads on Monday night.

The council was under the impression that Sprague’s municipal and school budget required $3 million in new money, Council Vice-President Raymond Spear said. Upon reviewing the budget in more detail they learned that the proposed budget would require a number closer to $5.5 million to accomplish everything Sprague outlined. Roughly $2.5 million will be required next year, Spear said, just to compensate for losses in state aid, fees and the automotive car tax, among other things. “So there’s $2.5 million that we were not aware of.”Every department head was asked to go back and re-evaluate their needs for the coming fiscal year, Spear said. “We told them that if we level-funded the budget for next year that at the level that they’re spending this year we would still need to have the full maximum levy just to meet the lost revenue to the town.”

In an effort to avoid raising taxes to the full amount, Spear asked department heads to come up with budgets that are 10 percent lower than this year’s levels, he said. Sprague’s budget was balanced by drawing money out of the reserve fund, Spear said. However, because of loans made to the Coventry Sewer Project, most of the $5 million reserve is still loaned out and has not been paid back. The council has asked for revised budgets from department heads within the week, Spear said. “We asked them to tell [Sprague] to what extent they can [work with] a 10 percent decrease and then give us all the rationale for the maximum amount that they need.”The position the town is in is “drastic,” Spear said. “It may mean some loss of jobs. I don’t know, we’d like to hope not.”

At $22,943,415 on the municipal side, Sprague’s budget anticipated a full 4.75 increase in the tax levy, which would equal a 6 percent raise in taxes for residents, Spear said. The council is committed to moving forward with no tax increase for the next fiscal year, Spear said. “We thought level-funding budgets would do it; we have now learned that it won’t; now we have to look at budget cutbacks as a way to get the budget down. We are still shooting for no tax increase but we’re not sure what we can get.”

The meeting with municipal department heads was only the first of several work sessions before the budget is presented at a public hearing for residents of the town Spear said.The council will be meeting again tonight with the school committee and Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro to discuss the school budget, Spear said. In Sprague’s budget the schools were allotted $64,870,966, but that amount is not likely to be feasible this year, Spear said. “I have talked to [DiPietro] and told him that we cannot allow any increase in the budgets for next year,” Spear said. Because of maintenance of effort, the council cannot allot any less to the school department then they did last fiscal year, Spear said, but town legal council will be researching the specifics of that requirement.

The work session with the school committee is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the town council chambers at the Coventry town hall, Spear said. The public is welcome to attend.

Upcoming Meetings

2009-04-03T12:36:00.002-04:00

Town Council 4/6. Work session on municipal budget:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/71933.pdf

Board of Tax Assessment Review 4/7:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2009/72055.pdf

Town Council 4/8. Work session on school budget:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/71934.pdf

Zoning Board 4/8 at Town Hall Annex:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4234/2009/71532.pdf
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4234/2009/71718.pdf

Upcoming Meetings

2009-03-20T12:46:00.004-04:00

School Committee March 21 1:00 pm Executive Session:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/71303.pdf

Town Council March 23 4:00 pm:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/71386.pdf

Town Council March 23 6:00 pm:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/71387.pdf

School Committee March 24 6:00 pm:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/71306.pdf

Town Council March 25 10:00 am:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/71388.pdf

Planning Commission March 25 7:00 pm:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2009/71345.pdf

In God We (Should) Trust First

2009-03-12T08:08:00.003-04:00

Jeremiah 17:5-10

5
Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6
He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.
7
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD.
8
He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.
9
More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?
10
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, To reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.

When you trust people, corporations and other institutions first, sometimes not-so-good things happen:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29651773?GT1=43001

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29535417

Upcoming Meetings

2009-03-06T12:55:00.001-05:00

Town Council 3/9/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/70674.pdf

School Committee 3/10/09:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/70653.pdf

Meetings This Week

2009-02-22T19:58:00.002-05:00

Town meetings for this week -

Town Council Feb. 23 -
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/69959.pdf

School Dept. Feb.24 -
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/69824.pdf

Planning Commission Feb. 25:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2009/69980.pdf

Two items of interest: CONE and CVS

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING –Request to be Continued to the
March 25th meeting
Amended Master Plan: “Centre of New England Phase 6”; Commerce
Park Realty, LLC
28 Additional Residential Condominium Units
AP 6, Lots 3.1; Zone BP
Centre of New England Blvd

Pre-Application for Development Plan Review: “CVS Pharmacy”; CVS
Realty Co.
Proposed New Store
AP 38, Lots 105, 106 & 107; Zone GB
Tiogue Avenue & Wood Street

Meetings This Week

2009-02-22T19:58:00.001-05:00

Hero of Conservation

2009-02-19T18:14:00.005-05:00

Congratulations go out to Jeff Hakanson, who has been named one of three "Heroes of Conservation" by Field & Stream Magazine for the month of March. Jeff is President of Tiogue Lake Association and an all-around good guy. An article about Jeff and the lake appears in the March '09 issue of F&S, bottom of page 29. Kudos to Jeff for all the years of hard work and advocacy on behalf of Tiogue Lake, a body of water owned by the Town of Coventry and home to our only public beach. Preserve, Improve, Protect the lake!

To read the article use the link below and then scroll over to page 29:
http://www.zinio.com/express3?issue=373227373&o=int&prev=sub

Meetings this week

2009-02-02T12:45:00.001-05:00

Land Trust Feb. 3:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4244/2009/68905.pdf

Zoning Feb. 4:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4234/2009/68270.pdf

Meetings this week

2009-01-26T14:29:00.000-05:00

Town Council Jan. 26:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/68538.pdf
Our state delegation meets with the TC at 6 pm.

School Committee Jan. 27: http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2009/68472.pdf

Planning Commission Jan. 28: http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2009/68548.pdf
There is a proposal for CVS on Tiogue Ave. to construct a new building to replace the one that's already there.

Thanks DPW!

2009-01-11T14:59:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all at Dept. of Public Works for the great job you did clearing the snow off of our streets!

Town Council Meeting Monday 01/12/09

2009-01-09T12:39:00.003-05:00

There will be a work session at 6:00 PM on the status of the municipal sewer system . The WS will consist of 1) a presentation by Chairman Hall of the Sewer Subcommittee, and 2) immediately afterward the public will have some time to express their questions, comments or concerns. This is the first time in a long while that the sewer issue is being discussed at a Council meeting. I hope that many of you can attend.

Here is the full TC meeting agenda:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2009/67780.pdf

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T10:29:00.005-05:00

CHRISTMAS

And Now, for an Important Announcement.

Galatians 4:4
But when the fullness of the time had come,
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Galatians 4:5
to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Luke 2:8-17
[8] Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
[9] And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
[10] Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
[11] For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
[12] And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.
" [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest,
[14] And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

[15] So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
" [16] And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
[17] Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

I. It Was Personal—“to you.”

A. The shepherds were surprised at what they saw and heard. They did not expect to hear such songs or see such sights.
B. We are surprised that shepherds were chosen to receive this greatest of all announcements. We would expect that the heavenly choir would sing for a prestigious audience. Can you imagine the Metropolitan Opera putting on a performance for illiterate herdsmen?
C. We may never know why they were chosen, but the fact that they were chosen is a comfort to all of us ordinary people.
D. Paul suggests a possible reason in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. God often chooses humble things for grand purposes, and ordinary people to do extraordinary deeds.

[26] For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
[27] But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
[28] and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
[29] that no flesh should glory in His presence.
E. Now centuries later we must still hear the message as a personal message. The fact that hundreds of years have passed and thousands upon thousands have heard must not diminish the impact of the message. It is still personal!

II. It Was Universal—“for all people.”

A. The fact that it was universal does not contradict the fact that it was personal.
B. It was personal in impact, but universal in scope. All people were to have the opportunity to respond individually and personally to a God who loves them individually and personally.
C. The fact that the announcement is universal destroys any ethnic pride that we may have.
D. This fact also makes us humble. God’s chosen people today are those who choose to believe.
E. It makes us evangelistic. God wants us to share the message with everyone
F. It gives us missionary zeal. God wants us to share the message in every place.
G. The apostle Peter learned that God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34, 35) His words “every nation” were the proper response to Jesus’ words “all nations.”

Acts 10:34-35
[34] Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
[35] But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

III. It Was Timely—“today.”

A. Spiritually it seems that every Christmas we are celebrating the birth of Christ for the first time.
B. Nationally and internationally we seem to need Christmas especially at this time.
C. Perhaps in your life Christmas has special meaning this year.
D. We must never be content with simply recalling a past event.
E. The famous Christmas carol says “Be born in us today!”

IV. It Was Also Timeless—“a Savior.”

A. That’s what people needed then.
B. That’s what people need now.
C. That’s what people have needed in all the years between then and now.
D. That’s what people will need until the end of time.

Conclusion

It is never enough to just listen to the announcement even if we listen attentively. It is not enough to just listen to the announcement, even if we listen reverently. We must respond to this angelic announcement.

Illustration

While it is proper to pay special attention to these verses in December, it is equally true that they are important to us every day of the year. On any Sunday we could appropriately sing, “Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!” At any time of the year we could appropriately sing “O Come All Ye Faithful.” God’s love was poured out on mankind that first Christmas in Bethlehem

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

A Visitor to Tiogue Lake

2008-12-23T21:37:00.004-05:00

A bald eagle paid a visit to Tiogue Lake on 12/20/08. I'm not sure if there were eagles here years ago, but it was interesting that one of these birds stopped by to check out the area. Thanks to Jeff H. for the photos.

Meetings this week

2008-12-15T12:41:00.001-05:00

Board of Tax Assessment Review, Dec. 15:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2008/66393.pdf

Sewer Subcommittee Dec. 15:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4247/2008/66750.pdf

Planning Commission Dec. 17:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2008/66642.pdf

New council's goal - transparency

2008-12-10T12:50:00.001-05:00

From the KC Times --

New council's goal transparency
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
By HANNAH CLARKIN
hclarkin@ricentral.com

COVENTRY — The first full-length meeting of the newly-elected Coventry Town Council attracted an attendance in excess of 75 people, all of whom were curious about how the new council would run its meetings.
They found out pretty quickly. In a new part of the agenda, called the President’s Remarks, Council President Kenneth Cloutier (R-Dist. 5) told residents what they could expect: transparency.

“We’re going to make a point of telling you things,” Cloutier said. “Some will be good, some will be bad, but this is your town and you’re paying the bill along with us, so you have the right to know.”

At future meetings, attendees can expect several large changes: meetings will begin with an address by Cloutier and be followed by updates by each council member on their districts and any special projects they are handling. Public Comment will also be allowed on any major resolutions before the council votes and will be restored to the end section of the meeting.
In his remarks, Cloutier addressed the appointment of new town solicitor Pat Rodgers and his firm Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, which has been frequently questioned since the last meeting.

“It’s not unusual for a new council to engage a new solicitor,” he said. “My two years on the council exposed serious legal issues relating to environment damage at the landfill and numerous lawsuits. The advantage of [this firm] is their size. We can’t afford not to have a big firm.”

Rogers will work specifically for the council, Cloutier said, but as highly-specific issues arise, there will be no need to engage additional law firms to handle them. Other questions regarding the solicitor were referred to a presentation by Rogers later in the meeting.

The second issue of town-wide concern that he has seen, Cloutier said, is the sewer project. “It’s the 900-pound elephant in the room,” he said. “We all know it’s there but we don’t want to deal with it.” This council will deal with it head on, Cloutier said, by correcting the relationship between the sewer commission and the council. Later in the meeting, the council appointed Vice President Raymond Spear (R-Dist. 1) to act as a liaison to the commission.

Executive sessions under the new council will be very different than under the old one, Cloutier said. “I have sat through more executive sessions in the past two years than I want to for the rest of my life,” he said. “We are going to go into executive session as infrequently as possible — but whenever we do the solicitor will explain to the public why we are going in.”

Monday’s executive session, following the meeting, Rodgers said, was a no-action briefing relating to work the new solicitors had done on the landfill problems, an update on the Centre of New England litigation, and an overview of a lawsuit filed against all Rhode Island municipalities by National Grid.

When the time came for public comment, it lasted nearly an hour. Questions ranged from a permanently disabled veteran from District 2 who wanted to know how the town could better help people in his condition, to thanks from residents of Island Drive and along Wood Cove who said they were grateful that the council would be trying to fix their bridge problem.
A good part of the public comment centered on now-familiar issues with the recent appointment of Michael Baird to the Planning Commission and comments about the sewer assessment made by developer Nicholas Cambio.

Off to a Good Start

2008-12-09T13:02:00.004-05:00

Last night's Town Council meeting was long but I thought it went well. Council Pres. Ken Cloutier allowed about one hour for public comment, there was a presentation by new TC solicitor Pat Rodgers/Edward & Angell, the regular agenda items were dealt with and then there was an executive session. So far so good. Comments on, you can post anonymously, moderation on.

A Breath of Fresh Air

2008-12-08T12:31:00.001-05:00

From the KC Times:

Council to change public comment

Sunday, 07 December 2008
By HANNAH CLARKIN
'hclarkin@ricentral.com

COVENTRY — At its first meeting since being sworn in, the new Coventry Town Council plans to make good on its commitment to be open and transparent to the public, according to President Kenneth Cloutier (R-Dist. 5).
On Monday, the council will hold a question and answer session with the new town solicitor, Pat Rodgers of the Providence firm, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, Cloutier said.
He will also be adding a new part to the agenda called “president’s remarks,” Cloutier said. This section will serve whatever purpose is needed on a given week.
“I want to be able to discuss things that are going on in town that aren’t always on the agenda,” he said. “Each meeting, I’ll touch on some different subjects and give folks updates on what’s going on. If there is something of concern, I’ll allow folks to e-mail or call me.”
Vice President Raymond Spear (R-Dist. 1), just elected to the council, was particularly vocal about increasing public access to meetings.

“My desire is to provide an opportunity of public comment during discussion of items, instead of people getting up and speaking before the council speaks not knowing what the council is going to say,” Spear said.
While there are no big resolutions on the agenda for Monday night, in the future, the public can expect a chance to comment before the council takes a vote, Cloutier said.
“Mr. Spear’s point was well taken,” he said. “In the past, there were times when the council would discuss a resolution and pass it and the public wasn’t allowed to comment on it at that time. They were allowed to speak at the public comment section but were not always aware of what the council would say. In the future, what you’ll see is that the public will have an ability to have comment right before we pass a resolution.”
While they do not plan to discuss it at the meeting, Mike Baird’s appointment to the planning commission is under review by the new solicitor, Cloutier said.
“We asked our attorney to give the council the options that we do have,” he said. A proposed condominium development called Redbrook Landing off of the New London Turnpike will not be discussed at this meeting, Cloutier said, because the new council is not entirely aware of all the issues involved.
“I discussed it with [acting Town Manager] Paul Sprague and we’re going to put it off until January,” he said.

Upcoming Meetings

2008-12-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

Town Council 12/8/08:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/66385.pdf

School Committee 12/9/08:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/66221.pdf

Memo from Town Council member Laura Flanagan re: Proposed videotaping of TC meetings:

"Councilwoman Laura Flanagan of Coventry, today announced her desire to implement a broadcast of Town Council meetings on the Rhode Island Public Broadcast System (“RI PBS”). Flanagan indicated that a number of Rhode Island Communities currently employ this avenue as a means to involve and inform citizens of the activities of their local government. Broadcasting through RI PBS is free to Rhode Island State and Municipal Agency programs. The initial costs for Coventry would involve the purchase of a video recording device and tapes, which Flanagan estimates would run between $1,500 and $2,500. Other communities currently involved in broadcasting have eliminated service costs by allowing volunteers from the public handle the video camera, recording the meeting. Ongoing, the only necessary monetary outlay would be the cost of the tapes, which Flanagan sees as minimal.

Flanagan states that the actual procedure is very simple. The town would record the Town Council session and then deliver the tape to the Warwick Public Access Studio. Coventry would be assigned a regular time slot. Coventry would be required to sign paperwork releasing RI PBS of responsibility for the content of the broadcast. RI PBS requires the media format to be either Mini-DV tapes or DVD-R. The tapes will be returned to the town after the broadcast. When employed, the recordings would initially be aired on channel 18 and eventually moved to channel 17 (currently being set up for municipal broadcast only). With the approval of the Council, Coventry could begin broadcasting the sessions in the very near future.

Flanagan wishes to invite the community to express opinions on this topic by attending the next Council Meeting on December 8th at 7:00 pm in the Town Council Chambers located at the Town Hall Annex building on Flat River Road. Anyone interested in volunteering to run a recording device at meetings is also encouraged to attend and express this interest.

During my campaign, I committed to work to restore openness, accountability and community involvement between the Coventry Town Council and its citizens. I recognize that it is difficult for many folks to find time between work, children and other responsibilities to attend regular meetings. In my view, implementing this program is a great first step in reaching out to our community and keeping citizens well informed of the happenings in their local government. Therefore, I encourage members of the community to attend our next meeting and share their views on such a program, as I believe this input is important to the Council when deciding how to best keep the public informed. For those unable to attend the meeting on the 8th, I can be contacted by e-mail, megsmile38@gmail.com or telephone (401) 378-3566 and I would be pleased to discuss this further and answer any questions.”

Laura A. Flanagan
Councilwoman - District 2
Town of Coventry

Shotgun Season December 6th through 14th

2008-12-06T00:02:00.003-05:00

For those of you who hike and bike through Arcadia, Big River and all other state management areas, shotgun season for deer begins tomorrow Dec. 6th and runs through the following Sunday, Dec. 14th. Best to stay out of the woods until after that date to ensure that hunters won't mistake a hiker or mountain biker for a deer. Shotgun season on private land takes place December 15th through the 21st. Happy hunting, Scott!

Is it Time to Raise Taxes?

2008-12-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

Check out the Projo survey. Not scientific, but a huge majority of participants said NO:
http://www.projo.com/perl/common/surveys/vote_now.pl

Whistleblower Hotline

2008-12-04T21:48:00.002-05:00

Should the town of Coventry have something like this?
http://www.projo.com/ri/northkingstown/content/NK_WHISTLE_BLOWER_12-03-08_PMCCBBT_v28.3d542cb.html

American Civics Test

2008-11-28T18:57:00.002-05:00

Take the Intercollegiate Studies Institute test:
http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx

From the website: "Are you more knowledgeable than the average citizen? The average score for all 2,508 Americans (who were surveyed by ISA - WA) taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%."

I got 27 out of 33 questions correct. How did you do?

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T11:18:00.001-05:00

GOVERNOR'S THANKSGIVING MESSAGE

If the Pilgrims could be moved to offer thanks under the most trying of circumstances, we may also pause to do the same even during difficult economic times. I am thankful for Rhode Islanders who give everyday without counting the cost: parents, teachers, small business owners, caregivers, and the countless other individuals who exhibit Rhode Island's true spirit.

I hope that Thanksgiving Day will be a time for all of us to count our blessings and to give in return. The Pilgrims' giving of thanks was also an expression of confidence in the future: that adversity would be overcome, that want would give way to plenty, that hardship would yield prosperity. Let our observance of this natonal holiday find us no less dedicated to a brighter future for all Rhode Islanders.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Donald L. Carcieri
Governor

Good Luck to Incoming Town Council and School Committee

2008-11-25T08:14:00.001-05:00

From the Projo:
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/COVENTRY_REORGANIZATION_11-25-08_E2CD8EA_v9.3d508e1.html

Inauguration Tomorrow Night

2008-11-23T07:43:00.002-05:00

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. "
Philippians 2, 3-4 (New Revised Standard Version)

Please attend tomorrow night's swearing in ceremony for Town Council and School Committee members.
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/65790.pdf

Also, School Committee meeting Tuesday 11/25:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/65668.pdf

The bitter fruits of R.I.’s tilted elections

2008-11-18T13:11:00.001-05:00

I agree with Mr. Achorn's assessment of the election, at least on a statewide basis.

http://www.projo.com/opinion/columnists/content/CL_achorn18_11-18-08_4SC90AN_v13.3e2d33e.html

TC appoints Two to Planning Commission

2008-11-17T13:12:00.004-05:00

In case you didn't see this in the KC Times from 11/13/08. My comments in italics.

Outgoing council adds to planning committee

Thursday, 13 November 2008
By HANNAH CLARKIN
hclarkin@ricentral.com

COVENTRY—As a parting gesture on Monday night, the current Coventry Town Council made two appointments to the Planning Commission.
Ignoring requests from council members-elect Laura Flanagan (R-Dist. 2) and Raymond Spear (R-Dist. 1) that the current council forgo making the appointments in favor of letting the new council handle them when it was seated, current Council President Justin Pomfret (D-Dist. 1) nominated George Colwell (correct spelling is Caldow - WA) and Michael Baird to the seats on the planning committee. The two nominations were seconded by Anthony Colaluca (D-Dist. 2) and passed on a vote of 3-1 with Kenneth Cloutier (R-Dist. 5) dissenting.

Prior to the appointment, Spear requested that the council focus on the consent agenda and items that needed immediate attention and leave the appointments and resolutions to the incoming council. When the council began considering the appointments, Flanagan made the request again, through a point of order. “I will consider your comments,” Pomfret said, before making the nominations.
There was no argument about the appointment of Colwell (Caldow), but Flanagan said she disapproves of Baird’s appointment.
“In my opinion, that appointment was not in the best interest of the taxpayers,” she said. “The electorate spoke last week — there was no immediate reason to make an appointment to the planning board, there is nothing urgent that is pending and it clearly should have waited until next week,” Flanagan said.
At the meeting, Republican Town Committee Chairman Charles Vacca said he was concerned about appointing a developer to the planning commission. Hyde indicated he was surprised the incoming council reacted so strongly against Baird’s appointment.
“Mike Baird is a Republican,” he said. “It sounded to me like a good way to make a non-partisan appointment, to put a Republican on when we were going to have a Republican-dominated council.”

If Baird has conflicts because of his work as a developer, “he’ll have to address that on an individual case by case level,” Hyde said. “But the fact that you have a Republican on the planning board once again shows our non-partisan approach to try to work together and the fact that he’s a developer means that he can bring another perspective to the planning board that’s never been spoken about. He’s had to come before the board before — I would think that would be an asset.”

Baird’s experience was the reason he supported his appointment, Colaluca said. “He’s been in town for a while, he has a lot of business and planning experience and I feel that he’s more qualified than some of the members on the board that have less experience,” said Colaluca. Pomfret could not be reached for comment.

As for allegations leveled by those opposing his appointment that Baird had multiple planning violations in past years, Associate Planner Jacob Peabody said he could not comment. As a member of the commission, Peabody said, Baird would not be able to sit on any discussions or make decisions concerning his own developments.

Town Planner Paul Sprague could not be reached for comment. Local developer John Assalone said he was very disappointed in the council for this appointment. “To my best knowledge, Baird is one of the greatest zoning violators and continued violators in the Town of Coventry in recent history,” Assalone said.

Although he supports the sitting council, Assalone said, this action was inappropriate. “This was done to take a shot at the new town council and stick this town with someone who is going to sit and judge others with planning concerns when he is one of the greatest violators that have ever been. This is wrong, unseemly, and sleazy and I am completely disappointed in that action,” he said. Assalone alleged that Baird has a court date on Friday for zoning violations, and said the council should suspend Baird’s appointment until he is in complete compliance with the town. “You have time to undo what you’ve done,” Assalone said to the sitting council. (I don't recall John being at the Council meeting that night -WA) “For the good of the thousands of people in this community, for the planning of Coventry, this man should be removed instead of leaving it to the new council.” He did not apply to be on the planning commission for his own interests, Baird said.

“I submitted an application like everyone else and [the council] called me up and told me to be at the meeting,” he said. “What throws me for the loop is the fact that I’ve been running on a Republican ticket for the past 41 years of my life but I wasn’t welcomed very well by the incoming Republican council.”
He is in complete compliance with the town, Baird says, and the Friday court date mentioned by Assalone involves a controversy with Nicholas Gorham — and has nothing to do with planning violations. He already has an injunction against Assalone for previous harassment issues, Baird added. “When I build something, I go by proper channels,” he said. “If I make a mistake, I fall under the same guidelines as anyone else — I’m not asking for special treatment. I asked to be on this board because I think that there should be small businessmen on the boards in this town and right now I don’t think we have anyone.”

As a member of the commission, Baird said, he hopes he can “help speed the processes up so that it doesn’t make things harder for small businessmen. I will help in any way I can, I will put my best foot forward. I don’t build without permits; I do not operate illegal businesses. There are things that need to be fixed in this town and I want to help to fix them. I am a ‘get it done’ guy — and anyone who knows me knows that. If they’re afraid of me, it’s because they’re afraid to get things done.”

He does not intend to play favorites while on the commission, Baird said.
“Everybody in this town should get a fair shake and that’s one of the things that I’m interested in doing. I want to make the town of Coventry look more like Kittery, Maine, than the mess that it is now. I just want to help,” he said.

Also, here is the Projo's article on this issue:
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/COVENTRY_APPOINTMENT_11-15-08_06C9IKP_v18.39df70f.html

Upcoming Meetings

2008-11-15T07:18:00.002-05:00

Sewer Subcommittee 11/17/08:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4247/2008/65376.pdf

Board of Tax Assessment Review 11/17/08:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2008/65239.pdf

Planning Commission 11/19/08:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2008/65307.pdf

Meetings next Week; Election Certification

2008-11-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

Town Council November 10th:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/65017.pdf

School Committee November 12th:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/64994.pdf

Board of Canvassers November 14th:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4237/2008/65066.pdf

I first thought that the council members were going to be sworn in on Monday the 10th, but the BOC must first officially certify results of the election, which is supposed to happen next Wednesday.

Election Results

2008-11-05T07:08:00.004-05:00

Here are the results for Coventry:

http://www.ri.gov/election/results/2008/general_election/coventry/

Congratulations to the newly elected/re-elected officials. The election is over, time to focus on the challenges we face - all of us together. I continue to urge residents to attend meetings; we need to hear your comments, concerns and questions.

To all of our town & school employees -- if anyone sees or becomes aware of theft, damage or destruction of paper or electronic town records, please report it immediately to the Coventry or State Police. Thank you.

A Sure Thing

2008-11-02T20:22:00.002-05:00

http://surethingforvoters.blogspot.com/

http://2partysystemexplained.blogspot.com/

http://twopartysystem.blogspot.com/
Check comments of 10/30/08 post

Election Preview -- Lisa Tomasso, Joel Johnson, Charter Questions, Etc.

2008-11-01T01:55:00.009-04:00

*** 11/02/08 - Comments are on, moderation is on.

1. IN SUPPORT OF LISA TOMASSO

I am writing to endorse independent candidate Lisa Tomasso for School Committee in District 5. Lisa is an effective and tireless advocate for our schools, having served as a PTA president, sixth grade liaison, and on the School Capital Improvement Study Team.
In addition to her unwavering support of our schools, Lisa was also the former Program Director of the Literacy Volunteers of Kent County. She has worked and interacted with the Superintendent of Schools, School Committee members, teachers, parents, and most importantly, our children.

What makes Lisa such a unique candidate is that she has also been a volunteer in Coventry classrooms for over seven years. She has worked alongside teachers, other school staff, and other parent volunteers to improve the quality of education for our children. She knows our schools from the inside-out; and she knows what works and what needs to be improved. This is the unique perspective that Lisa will bring to the School Committee.

Having served on the Coventry Town Council, I know what skills and abilities are needed to make a difference. In my opinion, Lisa has the experience, dedication and vision to successfully serve on the School Committee. Please consider supporting Lisa with your vote on November 4th.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Thibeault Jr.
Former Town Councilman, District 4

My comments - Lisa has my full support as well. She is confident and knowledgeable of school issues. I saw her at one of the public meetings held by two Town Council members about the failed bond issues in 2006 which included a bond to fix roofs of several schools and bring some buildings into compliance with current fire codes. Lisa asked several well thought out questions. More recently, she attended the TC public meeting about the proposed Town Charter changes. Again, she asked pointed questions of the Charter Review chairman and she kept asking until she got answers. Lisa will bring a different perspective to the School Committee; she will ask the hard questions, she will listen to our own tough questions. I believe Lisa will be the agent of change the SC needs right now. I ask the voters of District 5 to support her on November 4th.

2. IN SUPPORT OF JOEL JOHNSON

A few months ago I was very happy to learn that Joel Johnson was running for the Town Council seat in District 3. I can’t think of anyone more suited to being on the Council. He is someone of character, is well qualified and doesn’t have a personal agenda. I have known Joel for about 30 years and can attest to his character. Much of his career has been in municipal government. He started out as an Administrative Aide to former Coventry Town Manager Ron Owens in the late 1970s. Then he spent 18 years working for the City of Newport as an Administrative Assistant, Research & Budget Analyst, City Treasurer and Director of Finance. He even served as that city’s acting City Manager for a short time in the mid-1990s. Joel doesn’t have any plans to help himself, his friends or special interests; he is committed to serving the people of District 3 and the entire town. Joel’s temperament, municipal experience and willingness to put the town first make him well qualified for public office. He is the obvious choice for Town Council. I ask the voters in District 3 to show their support for Joel by voting for him on November 4th. Feel free to visit Joel's website:
http://johnson4council.weebly.com/

3. SAMPLE BALLOT SHOWING THE TWO STATE BOND QUESTIONS AND 5 PROPOSED TOWN CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

Thanks to the town for putting up this link to the sample ballot:
http://www.town.coventry.ri.us/Charterchange.pdf

Here are my recommendations on these proposed Charter changes.

Ballot questions #1 and #2 are State of RI items.

Ballot question #3 Board of Canvassers and Registration/Redistricting - APPROVE
Ballot question #4 School Committee – Filling Vacancy - REJECT
Ballot question #5 Town Manager – Qualifications - REJECT

Ballot question #6 Probate Court – Substitution - REJECT
Ballot question #7 Financial Provision – Referendum Amount - REJECT
Ballot question #8, Dept. of Finance – Qualifications - REJECT

Here are some of my notes from the Sept. 10th TC meeting relating to the charter questions, along with my additional comments.

“#3. 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.”

My notes – Per Mr. Perry of the Board of Canvassers, the current time requirement for boundary changes is every two years. Mr. P said that this creates problems for certain voters who live near district boundaries, since each election many people are moved to a different district and then back again the following election. It appears that by approving this amendment, voters would remain in a given district for at least four consecutive years. If approved by the voters, this amendment would take effect on 01/01/2009.

10/31/08 Comments -- this makes sense; it would provide a little more certainty where to vote for residents who reside on district borders. APPROVE.

“#4. 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.”

My notes – Some reasons given for this proposed amendment were to lessen confusion among the voters, to give candidates more time to run for office and this move might also lessen the need and hence the cost of a special election.

10/31/08 Comments -- Expanding the time to allow an appointment to an otherwise elected position infringes on my right to vote, and is unacceptable. REJECT.

“#5. 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.”

My notes – I asked if the standards were being lowered, and the answer was yes. Current standard is a master’s degree in public administration is required; the new standard is a Bachelor of Arts degree plus at least 3 years experience in city, town or county government or a minimum degree in public administration. The reasoning here is that lowering the standards would enlarge the pool of possible candidates for the Town Manager position. I was surprised that the proposed new requirements did not state 3 years experience in city, town or county government AS A MANAGER OR ADMINISTRATOR.

Here is a link to 11/01/08 projo article on this subject:
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/COVENTRY_TOWN_MANAGER_11-01-08_FKC4HNB_v12.3b9497c.html
From the article: "...voters will be asked to change the charter to allow hiring someone with ANY type of bachelor’s degree and at least three years of ANY municipal job experience." That's exactly my problem with this proposed amendment.

10/31/08 Comments -- This amendment is unacceptable in its present form. There may be a need to amend qualifications for the Town Manager position to enlarge the pool of candidates, but there needs to be some requirement of experience as a municipal TM or Administrator. Suggest that the next TC start a new Charter Review board to revisit this area. REJECT.

“#6. 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.”

My notes – there weren’t many questions about this proposed amendment. The handout I obtained at the meeting states “Shall Article VI Section 6.04 of the Town Charter be amended to state that in the absence, disability or disqualification of the judge, the duties of the judge shall be performed by the Town Solicitor or Municipal Court Judge?” I should have asked why it this amendment was necessary. If the judge can’t make a meeting, couldn’t the item on that day’s agenda just be move to the next meeting when the judge was in attendance? If the judge were to be absent for a long period of time, couldn’t the Town Council just appoint a replacement? Couldn’t the TC appoint two persons to act as probate court judges concurrently to address the absence issue?

10/31/08 Comments -- I'm not sure this amendment is necessary. There are too many unanswered questions and not enough information for the public to make an informed decision. REJECT.

“#7. 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.”

My notes – I asked why the amount that would require an all-day referendum is being tied to an automatic index like the Consumer Price Index. Mr. C said that the $100,000 is a low amount by today’s standards (I agree) and that a higher amount makes sense (I agree). The Charter Commission thought that a COLA adjustment for automatically increasing the referendum threshold would make sense. I don’t favor any automatic increases; this should be an item that should be reviewed and conscious deliberation taken by future charter review boards.

10/31/08 Comments -- I agree that the $100K should be increased, but I am against any automatic increase/annual COLA adjustment. Local government should not be on automatic pilot. Suggest that the next TC start a new Charter Review board to revisit this area, perhaps amend the charter to allow for an increase now with provision that the TC review every 5 years and adjust via ordinance. REJECT.

"#8. Director of Finance Qualifications – 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 stricter.” 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.”

My notes -- I asked if the current employees in these positions would be grandfathered. Neither the Charter Review Commission chairman, nor the Town Manager nor the Town Solicitor could give a definitive answer.

10/31/08 Comments -- There was no assurance at the public meeting that current employees would be grandfathered, would keep their positions. For that reason I find this amendment to be unacceptable. REJECT.

3. Go to this website before you vote (kudos to Duck for the link)
http://www.readbeforevoting.com/
You may not agree with everything that's on the site but there is a lot of information to mull over. We definitely need wholesale change in RI.
.
4. Please continue to check the Duck's blog this week: http://twopartysystem.blogspot.com/

5. FROM MY POST OF OCT. 22:
Before you vote on Nov. 4, please ask yourself these questions (borrowed from President Reagan) "Are you better off than you were two years ago?" and "Is our state better off then it was two years ago?" If the answer to either of these is "no", then please vote for all new people at the Federal, State and Local level to represent you. We need some new faces and fresh ideas in the US Senate, US Congress, State government and on our Town Council & School Committee. Remember, in a democracy the people get the government they deserve. I think we deserve better, so vote for change.

Will continue to update this post until 11/04 post so please check in again soon.

Upcoming Meetings

2008-10-24T22:03:00.002-04:00

Town Council 6:00 pm 10/27 -- last meeting before Election Day:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/64496.pdf

School Committee 7:00 pm 10/28:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/64394.pdf

Site Walk Nov. 8 - Low Income Housing Project

2008-10-23T12:34:00.001-04:00

I attended the 10/22 Planning Commission meeting and took notes on the following agenda item:
Pre-Application: “Coventry Housing Associates Corp.”; Director Julie Leddy Comprehensive Permit for Low/Mod Housing Project
AP 38, Lot 100; Zone GB and AP 30, Lot 161; Zone R-20 Tiogue Avenue

Coventry Housing was represented by atty Arthur Capaldi. There are some plans available for review for this development. The applicant had a pre-hearing meeting with the Planning Director. Mr. Capaldi stated that the proposed project is 44 units of low/moderate income housing, similar to the Crossroads development near Old North Rd. A site walk is planned for Saturday Nov. 8 at 10:00 am. Meet to the left of the Hollywood Video store. Rain date is Nov. 15, 10 am same meeting spot.

Are You Better Off Now Than You Were Two Years Ago?

2008-10-22T12:24:00.004-04:00

A letter on the need for better access to public records:
http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/CT_lloyd22_10-22-08_O4BSLEN_v13.3e28305.html

I fully support the need for complete transparency in government and the public's ability to easily and cheaply obtain public information. Converting all public records to electronic documents is the way to go.

On Ending the Nightmare after Halloween (vote for new representation)
http://www.projo.com/opinion/columnists/content/CL_achorn21_10-21-08_O4BV0MM_v16.3e2a968.html

Before you vote on Nov. 4, please ask yourself these questions (borrowed from President Reagan) "Are you better off than you were two years ago?" and "Is our state better off then it was two years ago?" If the answer to either of these is "no", then please vote for all new people at the Federal, State and Local level to represent you. We need some new faces and fresh ideas in the US Senate, US Congress, State government and on our Town Council & School Committee. Remember, in a democracy the people get the government they deserve. I think we deserve better, so vote for change.

Meetings This Week

2008-10-20T12:21:00.002-04:00

Sewer Subcommittee 10/20:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4247/2008/64089.pdf

Tax Assessment Review Board 10/20:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4236/2008/64124.pdf

Planning Comm. 10/22:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2008/64260.pdf

Under "SITE WALKS TO BE SCHEDULED" one of the agenda items is called:
Pre-Application: “Coventry Housing Associates Corp.”; Director Julie
Leddy
Comprehensive Permit for Low/Mod Housing Project
AP 38, Lot 100; Zone GB and AP 30, Lot 161; Zone R-20
Tiogue Avenue
-- My comments --
1. Plat 30 lot 161 is a 6.5 acre lot at the western end of Overview Drive and near Haywood Dr., Hilltop Ave., Larchwood Dr., Oak Rd. and Pine Rd., off of Arnold Road just north of Little Tiogue Lake. Per the Town of Coventry web site the owner is listed as Arnold Kaufman.
2. Plat 38 lot 100 is a 6 acre parcel on the south side of Tiogue Ave. just to the west of the intersection of Tiogue and Arnold Road. Currently there is a commercial building on the site that houses several businesses including Hollywood Video and the Dollar Store. Per the Town of Coventry web site the owner is listed as Arnold Kaufman. This lot is adjacent to P-30 L-161 which is just to the south, so these two parcels together would total over 12 acres of potential low and moderate housing.
3. These properties are in District 4; it's unfortunate that there is no TC member in this district right now to represent the neighbors in this situation. I hope that both D4 TC candidates will take notice of this and plan to attend the site walk.

A Prayer for the Nation

2008-10-19T08:27:00.001-04:00

A Prayer for Our Nation

We ask you to join with us wherever you are, for prayer and meditation for the future of your nation, with the following prayer:

May we as nation be guided by the Divine to rediscover the sacred flame of our national heritage, which so many have given their lives to safeguard;
Let the wounds of separation and division be healed by opening our hearts to listen to the truth on all sides, allowing us to find a higher truth that includes us all;
May we learn to honor and enjoy our diversity and differences as a people, even as we more deeply touch our fundamental unity;
May we, as a people, undergo a transformation that will draw forth individuals to lead our nation who embody courage, compassion and a higher vision;
May our leaders inspire us, and we so inspire each other with our potential as individuals and as a nation, that a new spirit of forgiveness, caring and honesty be born in our nation;
May we, as a united people, move with clear, directed purpose to take our place within the community of nations to help build a better future for all humankind;
May we as a nation rededicate ourselves to truly living as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all;
And may God's Will be done for the United States, as we, the people, align with that Will.

By Gordon Davidson and Corinne McLaughlin

from http://www.visionarylead.org/sp/prayer_nation.htm

More Meetings

2008-10-16T12:24:00.002-04:00

Town Council Thursday Oct. 17th at 1:00 PM:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/64054.pdf

Sewer Subcommittee Monday 10/20:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4247/2008/64089.pdf

Coventry Assessment Review Board - October 20, 2008 at 06:30 PM
The link to the meeting agenda is not working on the S of S web site nor the town web site (at least for me it's not working).

Town meetings this week

2008-10-14T12:21:00.001-04:00

As posted on the Sec'ty of State web site:

School Committee 10/14/08:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/63779.pdf

Housing Authority 10/15/08:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4242/2008/63927.pdf

A Prayer for Help with Our Country's Financial Crises

2008-10-11T20:43:00.003-04:00

No time today for finger-pointing or the blame game for our country's financial crises. Let's all unite in a prayer to only One who can help us out of this mess:

For a Better Economy

O God, I pray in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, for our country's economy. I know that even more than a strong military, a strong economy helps keep a nation powerful. Father, I ask that You would raise up people of skill and wisdom who will affect our financial future. Give them inspired ideas and a voice with the powers that be. Cause Congress to vote aright in these matters. Give them foresight so that provision might be made for our nation's future, not just its present. Father, as the people continue to finance the spread of Your Word and help the poor all over the world, I pray that You would continue to prosper us more and more so that we may continue to assist others less fortunate, in this country and across the globe. Amen.

-- from http://www.2heartsnetwork.org

Political Science 101

2008-10-10T08:45:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't seen this e-mail being passed around...

Political Science 101 --

DEMOCRAT
> You have two cows.
> Your neighbor has none.
> You feel guilty for being successful.
> You push for higher taxes so the government can provide cows for
everyone.
>
> REPUBLICAN
> You have two cows.
> Your neighbor has none.
> So?
>
> SOCIALIST
> You have two cows.
> The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor.
> You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.
>
> COMMUNIST
> You have two cows.
> The government seizes both and provides you with milk.
> You wait in line for hours to get it. It is expensive and sour.
>
> CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE
> You have two cows.
> You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.
>
> BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE
> You have two cows.
> Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one,
milk the other, and then pours the
> milk down the drain.
>
> AMERICAN CORPORATION
> You have two cows.
> You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the
second one. You force the two cows to
> produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow
drops dead. You spin an announcement
> to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing
expenses. Your stock goes up.
>
> FRENCH CORPORATION
> You have two cows.
> You go on strike because you want three cows. You go to lunch
and drink wine.
> Life is good.
>
> JAPANESE CORPORATION
> You have two cows.
> You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary
cow and produce twenty times the milk.
> They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains.
> Most are at the top of their class at cow school.
>
> GERMAN CORPORATION
> You have two cows.
> You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer,
give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred
> miles an hour. Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of
vacation per year.
>
> ITALIAN CORPORATION
> You have two cows but you don't know where they are.
> You break for lunch.
> Life is good.
>
> RUSSIAN CORPORATION
> You have two cows.
> You have some vodka. You count them and learn you have five
cows.
> You have some more vodka. You count them again and learn you
have 42 cows.
> The Mafia shows up and takes over however many cows you really
have.
>
> TALIBAN CORPORATION
> You have all the cows in Afghanistan, which are two.
> You don't milk them because you cannot touch any creature's
private parts. You get a $40 million grant
> from the U.S. government to find alternatives to milk production
but use the money to buy weapons.
>
AL-QAEDA CORPORATION
> You have two cows.
> They go into hiding.
> They send radio tapes of their mooing.
>
> POLISH CORPORATION
> You have two bulls.
> Employees are regularly maimed and killed attempting to milk
them.
>
> BELGIAN CORPORATION
> You have one cow.
> The cow is schizophrenic.
> Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish.
> The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow. The French cow
wants control of the Flemish cow's milk.
> The cow asks permission to be cut in half. The cow dies happy.
>
> FLORIDA CORPORATION
> You have a black cow and a brown cow.
> Everyone votes for the best looking one.
> Some of the people who actually like the brown one best
accidentally vote for the black one.
> Some people vote for both. Some people vote for neither.
> Some people can't figure out how to vote at all.
> Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which one
you think is the best-looking cow.
>
> CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
> You have millions of cows.
> They make real California cheese.
> Only five speak English. Most are illegal.
> Arnold likes the ones with the big udders.
>

Coventry - Residents Opinion Survey

2008-10-02T19:04:00.004-04:00

I received an email from a TC candidate today, asking Coventry residents to take a survey being conducted by the CRTC:

http://www.bizgrader.com/

At the website, in the upper right hand side box type in the code word "opinion" to take the survey. I did not have to provide my name, address or any other identifying information in order to take the survey.

I did the survey, which consisted of a series of questions asking about the performance of the Town Council, with a few about the School Committee, Schools, TIF and some ideas on some changes to terms of elected office. I don't think some of the questions could be answered with a straight yes or no, and would have liked an option for "sometimes".

I asked the candidate to advise if the results of the survey would be made public, no matter what the outcome. I hope to be able to share results with you.
***** Update 10/03/08 I was told by the candidate that the results of the survey will be made public, no matter what the outcome is.

It can't hurt to do the survey; at least someone is asking what Cov. residents think about certain local issues.

If the CDTC sets up a survey or already has one setup, I would be glad to post about it on this blog, just forward the info about it to me.

Public Servant

2008-09-27T18:25:00.002-04:00

In the second reading at Mass this evening, as the Apostle Paul explains how a Christian should to act he also provides a definition of a public servant:

Philippians 2, 3-4 (New Revised Standard Version)
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. "

News Article - DEM, CONE Agreement

2008-09-26T08:22:00.004-04:00

From the projo:

http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/WB_cambio_again_09-26-08_GHBNIN3_v15.160fb48.html

Thanks to DEM and the developer for getting this agreement done. Kudos to Jeff Hakanson and Ron Gizzarelli of Tiogue Lake Assocation. They worked tirelessly for at least 10 years on this issue. Thanks to them, the residents living on Tiogue Lake, its tributaries and the neighborhoods between CONE and the lake may finally get some relief from siltation and flooding events they have had to endure.

The town of Coventry is not an official part of this agreement, but they will need to cooperate with DEM and the developer to control water levels at Tiogue Lake as mitigation work proceeds. The neighbors living along Tiogue Lake/Harrington Cove, Little Tiogue Lake, Ropewalk Pond, Lake George and the brooks running to & from them may be asked to to allow the developer access across their properties to the streams and lakes so sediment can be removed and they can be cleaned up.

********** I have this agreement saved as a pdf file. Anyone who would like a copy of the consent agreement can contact me at wdddasselin@hotmail.com and I will send it to you.

Brief Notes from Planning Meeting

2008-09-25T06:27:00.002-04:00

Mentioning three things that occurred last night:

1. Per my conversation with Chairman Crossman, Mr. Nelson resigned from the Planning Commission.
2. The PC voted unanimously to approve the master plan for the proposed Western Coventry Fire District's new headquarters.
3. The PC voted 4-1 in favor of the proposal to amend the use of land at CONE near the Wal-Mart from a restaurant to a five building, 28-unit housing project. THE MEASURE DID NOT PASS. There were only 5 PC members present at the meeting, there had to be 5 votes in favor and there were only four. The developer can still put up a restaurant building, leave the land vacant, come back next month and re-submit the request or submit a new proposal.

News Article on the Trusts

2008-09-24T18:47:00.001-04:00

http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/wB_coventry-_charitable_trust_09-24-08_LVBM9N_v13.1898bc4.html

If you read the wills as posted on Cougar's blog, both of them state that the purpose of each fund is to help the poor of our town.

Cov. landmark threatened with razing

2008-09-20T18:08:00.002-04:00

I don't have any answers to this situation. This is one of the last of the old-time storefronts in town. It would be great to save it, but I understand the current owner's dilemma.

From the KC Times --

Friday, 19 September 2008
Jessica Selby

COVENTRY — Local residents who make a habit of looking through the building permits listed in the newspaper might recently have noticed another Coventry building slated for demolition.

Read Commons, according to the list, had received a permit for demolition of a building at 700-706 Washington St. Some who read the list might not have recognized the name Read Commons. They might have recognized another name for the site — the Byron Read building.

The one and a half story mansard roofed commercial building with store fronts across the façade of the first floor was constructed in 1882. It is identified in the “Historic and Architectural Resources of Coventry, Rhode Island; a Preliminary Report,” created by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, as the largest store in the Town of Coventry at the turn-of-the-century. It is said to have sold furniture and hardware items. An undertaking business was also located in the building.

The building has ties to the funeral home located across the street, now the Gorton-Menard Funeral Home. The Gorton-Menard Funeral Home occupies the three-story late Victorian house that was built as a home for Byron Read, proprietor of the store and the town’s undertaker.

Today the building at 700-706 Washington St. is mostly vacant. The exception is a single small business, The Wood Floor Store. The building shows signs of age and vandalism.

The current owner of the Byron Read Building visited Coventry Town Hall earlier this month and requested a demolition permit, according to interim Town Manager Paul Sprague. He was entitled to that permit, Sprague said; there was nothing the town could do legally to refuse the request.

Despite the uproar when the historic building that formerly housed Coventry Seafood was torn down, another landmark in Coventry, just up the street from the first, is now slated for demolition.The difference, according to Sprague, is that the Byron Read Building still has a chance of surviving.

The building’s current owners are willing to give it that chance, he said.The town has scheduled a meeting with the current owners of the building and a prospective buyer who might be willing to salvage the building, Sprague said. “The owner of the property came in and spoke to me about the building so I called the Rhode Island Historic Commission to see if there was anything that they could do to help us, but, unfortunately, they told me that there is currently no money to assist us if we wanted to purchase it. But, right now, I am going back and forth with him [the current owner of the building] trying to see if there is something that we can do to save the building,” Sprague said.

“The owner is entitled to the demolition permit; he owns the building and he is getting taxed on a building. That is not helping his cause — to be taxed on it — you have to understand his situation, but we are talking with another right now about the possibility of another public entity that may have an interest in it.”

Sprague said the three parties have a meeting scheduled to discuss the matter on Oct. 2. The current owner said he was willing to wait until after that meeting to make plans for demolition. Sprague said.“He doesn’t want to see the building come down, but nothing has been decided yet,” he said. “Whoever takes over the building would have to do some renovations so, right now, the issue is of finding money and what source of money it can come from to do anything here,” Sprague said. “I guess we will just have to see what happens at the meeting.”

Meetings Next Week

2008-09-19T09:12:00.004-04:00

**** 09/19/08 Just saw posting of Town Council meeting 09/22/08****
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/63071.pdf

School Committee 09/23/08
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/62921.pdf

Planning Commission 09/24/08
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4233/2008/62974.pdf

There are two public hearings, both scheduled towards the end of the meeting:

1. Development Plan Review: “Proposed Western Coventry Fire
Station”; Western Coventry Fire District
Proposed Plan for New Fire Station
AP 316, Lot 59.7; Zone RR3
Victory Highway

And a CONE a public hearing --

2. Amended Master Plan: “Centre of New England Phase 6”; Commerce
Park Realty, LLC
28 Additional Residential Condominium Units
AP 6, Lots; Zone BP
Centre of New England Blvd

Stress Relief

2008-09-18T07:09:00.000-04:00

Parks & Rec Director Mr. Lefebvre has set up some nature walks. There are two more scheduled for this month:
http://www.projo.com/ri/coventry/content/WB_happy_trails_09-17-08_VRBK2IQ_v12.16e3633.html

Conspiracy Theory - A Definition

2008-09-13T14:46:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Jack and Wikipedia for this definition:

A conspiracy theory attributes the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually political, social or historical events), or the concealment of such causes from public knowledge, to a secret and often deceptive plot by a group of powerful or influential people or organizations. Many conspiracy theories state that major events in history have been dominated by conspirators who manipulate political happenings from behind the scenes.

To explore this topic further: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory

Notes from Work Session on Proposed Charter Amendments

2008-09-10T06:32:00.002-04:00

I want to first thank the Town Council for having this work session, and thanks to President Pomfret for allowing me to ask all of my questions.

Here are my notes from the Town Council's 09/08/08 work session about the proposed amendments to our town charter. Also using excerpts “in quotes” from the 08/05/08 Kent County Times article on the charter issues that were discussed at the 07/28/08 Town Council meeting.

“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.”

My notes – Per Mr. Perry of the Board of Canvassers, the current time requirement for boundary changes is every two years. Mr. P said that this creates problems for certain voters who live near district boundaries, since each election many people are moved to a different district and then back again the following election. It appears that by approving this amendment, voters would remain in a given district for at least four consecutive years. If approved by the voters, this amendment would take effect on 01/01/2009.

“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.”

My notes – Since this amendment would take effect on Jan. 1, 2009 if approved, I asked how this change would be implemented. Charter Review Commission Mr. Capaldi did not know, he deferred to the Board of Canvassers. Mr. Perry of the BOC also did not know how this would be implemented. Would there be a special election right away for the two positions or would this not happen until the next scheduled regular election in 2010? Again, no one could explain how this would work.

“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.”

My notes – Some reasons given for this proposed amendment were to lessen confusion among the voters, to give candidates more time to run for office and this move might also lessen the need and hence the cost of a special 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.”

My notes – I asked if the standards were being lowered, and the answer was yes. Current standard is a master’s degree in public administration is required; the new standard is a Bachelor of Arts degree plus at least 3 years experience in city, town or county government or a minimum degree in public administration. The reasoning here is that lowering the standards would enlarge the pool of possible candidates for the Town Manager position. I was surprised that the proposed new requirements did not state 3 years experience in city, town or county government AS A MANAGER OR ADMINISTRATOR.

“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.”

My notes – there weren’t many questions about this proposed amendment. The handout I obtained at the meeting states “Shall Article VI Section 6.04 of the Town Charter be amended to state that in the absence, disability or disqualification of the judge, the duties of the judge shall be performed by the Town Solicitor or Municipal Court Judge?” I should have asked why it this amendment was necessary. If the judge can’t make a meeting, couldn’t the item on that day’s agenda just be move to the next meeting when the judge was in attendance? If the judge were to be absent for a long period of time, couldn’t the Town Council just appoint a replacement? Couldn’t the TC appoint two persons to act as probate court judges concurrently to address the absence issue?

“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.”

My notes – I asked why the amount that would require an all-day referendum is being tied to an automatic index like the Consumer Price Index. Mr. C said that the $100,000 is a low amount by today’s standards (I agree) and that a higher amount makes sense (I agree). The Charter Commission thought that a COLA adjustment for automatically increasing the referendum threshold would make sense. I don’t favor any automatic increases; this should be an item that should be reviewed and conscious deliberation taken by future charter review boards.

“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 stricter.” 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.”

My notes -- I asked if the current employees in these positions would be grandfathered. Neither the Charter Review Commission chairman, nor the Town Manager nor the Town Solicitor could give a definitive answer.

“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.”

My notes – Someone asked how lowering the standards benefits the town. The same answer was given as above.

“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.”

My notes -- Mr. Capaldi gave a longer version of what he stated above, stressing independence of the Building official and less chance of interference from multiple supervisors.

“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.”

My notes – Mr. C. again said that by incorporating the muni court into the Charter would be it much more difficult to do away with it.

I asked Chairman Capaldi if the CRC went into executive session and for what reason. Mr. C replied that they had one ES, the purpose was to discuss “personalities”.

The work session ended and the regular TC meeting began. Under public comment, I asked if the full written report to the town by the Charter Review Commission could be put up on the town website as a pdf form so everyone in town could have easy access to it. Interim TM Mr. Sprague indicated that this could be done.

Under meeting agenda item H.2, Councilman Cloutier made a motion to delete Charter Review question numbers 2, 8, 9, 10 and 11 from the November ballot. The councilman stated that he thought many of these questions were confusing to people, and he is not sure that these amendments would benefit the town.

Council President Pomfret stated that he did not favor question #2, it is very difficult now trying to get 5 council members to meetings, let alone seven members. He also stated his concerns of the possibility of having 3 council members all reside in one particular section of town. Councilman Hyde stated that he was not a fan of adding two new TC positions, adding “if it’s not broke don’t fix it”.

There was no further discussion. The vote was taken, 4-0 in favor of deleting Charter Review questions 2, 8, 9, 10 and 11 from the November Ballot. That leaves six questions for the voters to consider:
#1 Board of Canvassers and Registration/Redistricting
#3 School Committee – Filling Vacancy
#4 Town Manager – Qualifications
#5 Probate Court – Substitution
#6 Financial Provision – Referendum Amount
#7 Dept. of Finance – Town Treasurer, Qualifications

Resolution NOT Appointing Member to Town Council District 4 Vacancy

2008-09-08T20:44:00.000-04:00

Some notes I made about this topic from tonight's meeting:

At the beginning of tonight's meeting there was a work session interviewing applicants for the interim appointment as Town Council Member representing District 4. The only person who was there for the interview was Bob Thibeault. Bob is a former and recent TC member from D4. Bob had his interview in front of the public. No other applicants were interviewed.

Later, during the meeting under Item H.1, Councilman Hyde made a motion to appoint David Florio as Council Member to represent District 4. There was no 2nd to the motion, so it could not be voted on. Council President Pomfret made a motion to appoint Robert Thibeault as a Council Member to represent District 4. Seconded by Councilman Cloutier. The vote was Councilmen Pomfret and Cloutier in favor, Councilman Colaluca against and Council Hyde abstaining, so the motion failed. There were no other motions made, so for now there are just four Council members.

Sept. 8 - Work Session Proposed Charter Amendments

2008-09-05T12:21:00.000-04:00

Monday evening during the Town Council meeting there will be a work session on the 11 proposed amendments to our Home Rule Charter. I urge you all to attend the hearing; hopefully town officials will allow the public to ask as many questions as possible to help us understand the reasons for these suggested changes to the charter.

Here is the full TC meeting agenda:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/62354.pdf

RIPEC Reading

2008-09-02T18:27:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to the RIPEC report "A System at Capacity: Rhode Island's State and Local Tax System":
http://ripec.org/matriarch/d.asp?PageID=66&PageName2=pdfsdoc&p=&PageName=Executive+Summary+FINAL%2Epdf

Happy Labor Day

2008-09-01T08:42:00.000-04:00

A brief history of Labor Day:
http://www.dol.gov/OPA/ABOUTDOL/LABORDAY.HTM

From the last paragraph in this article:
"The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker. "

A prayer for Labor Day:
Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives. So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good. As we seek a proper return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of other workers, and arouse our concern for those who are out of work; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Zoning Board Violation Hearing Sept. 3rd - Town Farm Road

2008-08-29T18:07:00.000-04:00

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

CONE Tax Treaty

2008-08-27T08:50:00.001-04:00

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

Town Meetings Next Week

2008-08-22T15:16:00.000-04:00

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

Candidates: KO charter proposals

2008-08-15T20:45:00.000-04:00

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.

Attorney general investigates use of longtime public trust funds

2008-08-14T12:23:00.000-04:00

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

Proposed Town Charter Changes

2008-08-07T12:31:00.000-04:00

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.

TC Meeting 07/28/08 Notes

2008-07-28T20:20:00.001-04:00

Brief notes from tonight's meeting:

Full Agenda:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/60732.pdf

Items of interest: EXECUTIVE SESSION R.I.G.L. 42-46-5 (a) (1) Pertaining to Personnel
• Interviews for School Committee. The interviews were done in the public.

WORK SESSION -- Charter Review Committee recommendations -- I came to the meeting late and missed nearly all discussion.

H. CONSENT AGENDA
12. Resolution adopting Charter Review recommendations - The TC voted 5-0 to approve the 11 or 12 proposed amendments to our charter. I was not able to obtain a copy of the amendments; hopefully the town will make them available at its web site.

I. RESOLUTIONS 1. Resolution appointing member to serve on School Committee -- The TC voted 4-1 to appoint Michael Reeves to the open seat for District 5.

J. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ENSUING ACTION
4. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance and Map, Assessor’s Plat 24, Lot 125 (The Woods at Red Brook) from Residential 20 to R-20 (Planned Development) -- The public hearing was opened but then immediately continued to the 08/25/08 TC meeting. Counsel for the applicant wanted to ensure that proper notice to abutters is sent out that meets the requirements of existing law.

5. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance and Map, Assessor’s Plat 55, Lot 77 (Anthony Mill) from Industrial 2 Residential with Mill Conversion District/floating zone. Sorry, I left before this public hearing began. Saving this historic building via a conversion to housing has the potential to be a good thing if done within the context of our existing land use ordinances.

Meetings Scheduled for This Coming Week

2008-07-26T20:05:00.000-04:00

Town Council July 28:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4232/2008/60732.pdf

TC meeting -- Items of interest:

EXECUTIVE SESSION
R.I.G.L. 42-46-5 (a) (1)
Pertaining to Personnel
• Interviews for School Committee

WORK SESSION
• Charter Review Committee recommendations

H. CONSENT AGENDA
12. Resolution adopting Charter Review recommendations

I. RESOLUTIONS
1. Resolution appointing member to serve on School Committee

J. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ENSUING ACTION
4. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance and Map, Assessor’s Plat 24, Lot 125 (The Woods at Red Brook) from Residential 20 to R-20 (Planned Development)
5. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance and Map, Assessor’s Plat 55, Lot 77 (Anthony Mill) from Industrial 2 Residential with Mill Conversion District/floating zone

School Committee July 29:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/4248/2008/60638.pdf

Sewer Assessment Review Board July 29:
http://www2.sec.state.ri.us/omfiling/pdffiles/notices/5301/2008/60143.pdf