Town Manager Report for the week ending May 23, 2025
On Tuesday the Finance Director, HR Director, and I attended a seminar given by the RI Interlocal Trust regarding the annual OPEB Funding Program Review and Investment Update given by PFM Asset Management for our Police Department.
On Tuesday our Community Learning Center team was on a monthly call with the state Pandemic Recovery Office to review all of the 21 projects that are under construction including our $4.6m project under construction at the Town Hall Annex. Our project is the largest in the state renovating over 38,000 square feet of programming space to house after school education programs, workforce development, and health monitoring.
On Tuesday night we had a Council meeting to discuss the future of the Tax Exemption program currently in place along with a resolution to support state legislation to allow the Town to enter into Tax Stabilization agreements with potential investors and projects throughout Town but especially in the Centre of New England for future land use and development.
On Wednesday we had our in-person desk review of our Community Learning Center project at the Annex which included an on-site inspection by staff from the Pandemic Recovery Office to see the progress underway. The goal is to have the project complete in early fall for a ribbon cutting in October. They were very impressed with the amount of construction activity that was going on simultaneously by various contractors.
On Wednesday the school and town administration had an initial meeting with the Board of Directors at RIHEBC which is the agency that will be going out to bond on our behalf for the $25m in school projects. Our initial application was approved by the Board and our 2nd meeting will occur on June 16. If our FY 24 audit is complete by then it should be approved and we will have access to the funds in mid-July.
The Coventry Town Council is currently accepting applications to fill vacancies temporarily on the Town Council for Districts 3 and 5: Please contact the Town Clerk at jamitrano@coventryri.gov if interested. For those interested in the positions for the Special Election in August please contact the Registrar at registrar@coventryri.gov. You can declare your candidacy on May 29 and 30 at the Board of Canvassers.