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1 STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS
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PROCEEDING AT HEARING :
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IN RE: :
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WESTERN COVENTRY FIRE :
7 DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING :
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11 DATE: April 5, 2010
TIME: 7:00 PM
12 PLACE: Summit Station
1110 Victory Highway
13 Greene, RI 02827
14
15 PRESENT:
16
Joel Pomfret, Chief
17 Conrad Burns, Moderator
Jean Pomfret, District Clerk
18 Glenn Underwood, Treasurer
Joan Smith, Tax Collector
19
20 BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
21 Kent Novak, Chairman
Richard Holt
22 Jonathan Mitchell
Steven Autieri, Esquire
23 William Harsch, Esquire
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25
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
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1 (COMMENCED AT 7:05 PM)
2 MODERATOR BURNS: Call this meeting to
3 order. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. If,
4 at any time, you can't hear me or hear a snicker
5 in this body, please raise your hand in a fist so
6 I know what your message is to me. I'd like to
7 call on Captain Mann to read the safety rules for
8 the use of building. Captain Mann.
9 CAPTAIN MANN: Can everybody hear me?
10 Okay. Couple of important things, the most
11 important thing, bathrooms. Exit through the door
12 by the vending machines, look to your left,
13 bathrooms on both sides of the hallway. Both
14 unisex, both handicap accessible. Fire alarm, if
15 the fire alarm sounds, please exit the building in
16 a calm, orderly fashion. Exits are as follows:
17 Again, the door by the vending machine, turn
18 right, leave the building. The door to my left,
19 straight down the hallway, out the rear of the
20 building. Door to my right, exits directly to the
21 outside.
22 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Captain
23 Mann. Call on Scout Chief Bernard George for the
24 Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Please
25 rise.
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1 (PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE RECITED)
2 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Mr. George.
3 I'm going to call on Reverend Auld to give the
4 invocation.
5 (INVOCATION RECITED)
6 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Reverend
7 Auld. I'm going to call District Clerk Jean
8 Pomfret for the call of the meeting.
9 MS. POMFRET: Official notice Western
10 Coventry -- official notice, annual meeting
11 Western Coventry Fire District will hold its
12 annual meeting on Monday, April 5, 2010, at 7 P.M.
13 at Summit Station, 1110 Victory Highway, Greene,
14 Rhode Island 02827. The meeting will be for the
15 purpose of election of officers and board members,
16 approving a proposed budget, conducting all other
17 district business that may be deemed necessary and
18 appropriate. The annual meeting information
19 packet is available at the Summit Fire Station
20 located at 1110 Victory Highway, Greene, Rhode
21 Island, the Summit General Store located on Old
22 Summit Road, Greene, Rhode Island, and Koszela
23 Lumber Yard located at the intersection of Route
24 102 and Route 117, Greene, Rhode Island, and
25 available electronically on our web site located
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1 at www.WCFD.net. Doors open at 6 P.M. Advertised
2 in the Kent County Daily Times, posted at the
3 Summit Fire Station, Summit General Store, Koszela
4 Lumber Yard and the district web site. Jean
5 Pomfret, District Clerk, Western Coventry Fire
6 District.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: District Clerk, do you
8 ascertain that these acts have been taken?
9 MS. POMFRET: Yes, they have.
10 MODERATOR BURNS: Good. Now call to
11 order -- have to explain some rules of order. We
12 have a stenographer present. If you want to
13 speak, come up to the microphone over here, the
14 first time you come give your name and address.
15 The second time, any time after that, just give
16 your name. Please speak loud and clear into the
17 mike so everybody can hear you. There's nothing
18 worse than being at the mike where you can't be
19 heard and nobody knows what you're saying. The
20 district meeting of this type is the focal of
21 democracy, the last bit of democracy left
22 sometimes. It's your job to exercise your rights
23 as citizens. It's your job to participate as a
24 citizen. It's your job to act in generally -- an
25 orderly manner. All right. To keep that in that
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1 order, all right, I'm going to ask that there be
2 no cameras, recorders, or distractive devices
3 flashed in the face of anyone who is speaking.
4 I'm going to ask that anyone who is not a taxable
5 inhabitant of the district to refrain from voting,
6 refrain from any cat calls. You are here as an
7 observer and by law you can only observe. I ask
8 you to do that and respect the people who have to
9 set a tax level, have to set a budget tonight, and
10 have to address the operations of the department
11 tonight -- of the district. I ask that all
12 questions be directed to the Chair. If I can't
13 hear you, I don't know what's going on. If I
14 don't know what's going on, I don't know when to
15 call for a vote and make this move along. So,
16 please, direct all the questions to the Chair. I
17 will call on the appropriate person. If you have
18 a particular person you want to address, address
19 the Chair and say through the Chair to Mr. or
20 Mrs. So and So, I'd like to ask a question and
21 I'll let you through.
22 With that done, I ask you all to silence
23 your cell phones so there won't be any
24 distractions. We're going to call for a reading
25 of minutes of the last meeting, and the Chair will
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1 entertain a motion to suspend the reading of those
2 minutes.
3 AUDIENCE MEMBER: So moved, Mr. Chairman.
4 MODERATOR BURNS: Is there a motion
5 second?
6 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Second.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: Motion made and
8 seconded to suspend the reading of the
9 stenographer's minutes of the last meeting. Any
10 discussion? There being none, I sense you're
11 ready to vote. Those wishing to vote in the
12 affirmative will signify by saying "aye."
13 (VOICE VOTE)
14 MODERATOR BURNS: Ayes have it. Motion
15 stands. Next order of business, the treasurer's
16 report. We'll call on the district treasurer,
17 Glenn Underwood.
18 MR. MAYES: Mr. Chairman, Skip Mayes, 710
19 Perry Hill Road, Greene. Make a motion that we
20 waive the reading of the various report. We're
21 all privileged to have copies of that.
22 MODERATOR BURNS: We have a motion to
23 suspend the reading of the minutes of the reports.
24 Is there a second to that motion?
25 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Second.
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1 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, sir. Motion
2 made and seconded. Any discussion? There being
3 none, those in favor of suspending the reading of
4 the minutes of the reports, please signify by
5 saying aye.
6 (VOICE VOTE)
7 MODERATOR BURNS: The ayes have it.
8 Motion carries. I'm stretching a little for
9 the -- we have a motion for the treasurer's
10 report, the tax collector's report. Is the
11 district -- the board of director's report been
12 circulated, and the chief's report has been
13 circulated? Okay. Then I could expect that those
14 are the motions -- the reports that you don't want
15 to hear. For the purpose of recognition, I'm
16 going to call on Chief Joel Pomfret.
17 CHIEF POMFRET: I'd just like to
18 recognize our members for their hard work and
19 dedicated hours that they spent in the classroom
20 under formal training in the past year. I'll
21 start with the Firefighter I program, which is
22 funded through a grant. Western Coventry did
23 sponsor that training. Members that attended this
24 course and passed received their certification.
25 Firefighter Nathan Pomfret. Firefighter Stephen
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1 Mann. Firefighter Michael Mann. Firefighter
2 Amanda McKoon. Once the Fire I was completed, the
3 members jumped right into the Fire II program.
4 Again, this program was paid for through grants,
5 various grants, that our district received. Those
6 that attended and received certification for the
7 Fire II program where Lieutenant Jon Moore,
8 Firefighter Nathan Pomfret, Firefighter Stephen
9 Mann, Firefighter David Fournier, and Firefighter
10 Amanda McKoon. We had two members attend the EMT
11 basic program. Both members passed their finals
12 with the class and went on and took their state
13 test and received certification. Firefighter
14 Nicholas Pakuris and Firefighter Amanda McKoon.
15 EMT cardiac program, two of our firefighters
16 attended the program and received certification
17 from the state, myself and Firefighter Stephen
18 Mann.
19 Also about two years ago, the department
20 established a position for safety officer. This
21 is an NFPA mandate. The department does need a
22 safety officer. Steve Autieri stepped up to the
23 plate, has attended many trainings. Steve gained
24 his certification as an advanced level emergency
25 vehicle operations trainer. A recent haz. mat.
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1 operations class, which I think the members
2 attended, gave up four of their weekends. I can
3 attest to this because I was one of them. It was
4 a very, very long course. It was a full day,
5 eight, nine, ten hours, all day Saturday for four
6 weeks. Haz. mat. op., people received their
7 certification were myself, Deputy Chief Donald
8 Hall, Captain Kelly Guastini, Captain Robert Mann,
9 Safety Officer Steven Autieri, Firefighter William
10 Paul, Firefighter Nathan Pomfret, Firefighter
11 Stephen Mann, Firefighter Michael Mann, and
12 Firefighter Amanda McKoon.
13 I'd also like to thank two of our State
14 Legislators that are here with us tonight. I
15 received a grant for the amount of $1,000 from our
16 state legislators, Scott Gutherie. Scott, could
17 you stand for a second, show your face. Those
18 funds were spent on communications, and that was a
19 big help to the district. Thank you for that.
20 And Scott Lawrence (phonetic), could you please
21 stand. Again, we spent those dollars on
22 communications equipment and, again, that was a
23 big help in the district. I want to thank the two
24 of you guys for the support. Thank you very much.
25 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Chief
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1 Pomfret. For purposes of recognition, the Chair
2 recognizes Steve Autieri for a few moments, wishes
3 to address the assembly.
4 MR. AUTIERI: Good evening and thank you
5 for coming this evening. As many of you know,
6 this has been an active year for the Western
7 Coventry Fire District. We have seen one of our
8 most stable years in terms of member acquisition
9 and retention. Our firefighters have one
10 commitment to all of you here tonight, and that
11 being providing a quality, prompt, and
12 accommodating service in terms of fire and
13 emergency rescue. This statement could not have
14 been possible without the constant commitment to
15 continuing education by the dedicated individuals
16 standing behind me in this room tonight.
17 During the recent calendar year of 2009
18 to 2010, as Chief Pomfret was just saying, 5 of
19 our members attained the status of Firefighter
20 Level I, 5 members attained the status of
21 Firefighter Level II, 10 members became certified
22 in the hazardous material operations, 2
23 firefighters became certified as emergency medical
24 technicians at the basic level, and two members
25 became certified as emergency medical technicians
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1 at the cardiac level. One member became an
2 advanced emergency vehicle operation instructor.
3 And 4 of our members currently serving as EMT
4 basics will be attending cardiac level training
5 early this fall. This speaks numbers about the
6 progress of our department as we now step into the
7 future with record levels of quality firefighters
8 and EMT's to serve you during your time of need.
9 Our district officers and Chief Pomfret
10 have spent countless hours acquiring grants to
11 fund nationally certified firefighter and EMS
12 courses right here in our own district. These
13 courses include Firefighter I, Firefighter II,
14 Hazardous Materials Operations, NFPA driver/pump
15 operators, and Fire Officer Level I. While all of
16 the training has been going on, Lieutenant Jon
17 Moore and Private Nicholas Brown spent countless
18 hours co-Chairing a committee to deliver a
19 state-of-the-art piece of firefighting equipment
20 to replace the current physically outdated one.
21 Speaking on behalf of firefighters behind me, I'm
22 pleased to say that we applaud these individuals
23 for the selections that they made to carry us into
24 the future. I, myself, have been working
25 countless hours to insure that all of the garments
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1 acquired in a reason grant have been maintained to
2 the highest standards set forth by NFPA
3 regulations.
4 No words can express the dedication and
5 commitment that I have seen from our members this
6 past year. I am proud to say I am a member of
7 this fire district. This past year, our chief
8 implemented a duty crew regiment to ensure that
9 our district was covered with fire and EMS
10 services almost 24 hours a day. While each and
11 every one of you are either at work or in bed
12 sleeping late at night, you can be rest assured
13 that your property and lives are being safeguarded
14 by not only the committed full-time, but the duty
15 crew staff. With the catastrophic flooding our
16 small town has seen over the course of the last
17 month, I can hardly say enough about the
18 dedication of our small group of volunteers. Many
19 of these individuals spent nearly 72 hours
20 straight pumping out residents' basements with
21 little to no sleep and nothing more to eat than a
22 few slices of cold pizza.
23 What I'm trying to say to you right now
24 is it's time to step up and support the membership
25 of this department. The firefighters stand by and
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1 support the hard work, enthusiasm, and leadership
2 of Chief Pomfret. His countless hours of work and
3 devotion go unnoticed with little more than a
4 paycheck that falls slightly under minimum wage.
5 Our current board has strived to make sure that
6 our firefighters have the current necessities
7 required to perform their daily job to perfection.
8 It is in your best interest to progress into the
9 future with the current board of directors to
10 ensure the continuing growth and development of
11 the past several years. Without their support,
12 we, as firefighters and EMT's of this fire
13 district, cannot promise our continual service in
14 the future. This is a mutualistic relationship in
15 which we need your support to continue to provide
16 the gracious services that we strive to impart.
17 Thank you for your time.
18 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Steve. For
19 purposes of recognition, the Chair is going to
20 call upon Chairman Kent Novak.
21 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: I thank all the comments
22 from Steve Autieri in regards to the members of
23 the department. Also, I'd like to thank Conrad
24 Burns for jumping in at the 24th hour to act as
25 our moderator. And I won't bore you with the
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1 reading of the director's report. I do hope
2 everyone has read the report. It gives a lot of
3 the highlights or accomplishments of this past
4 year.
5 You know, certainly the facility, take a
6 look around, okay, it's a direct result of your
7 support, and your hard-earned dollars, your tax
8 dollars. Believe me, the men appreciate this
9 building. The cleanliness, take a look at the
10 floor, take a look around. It's clean. It's
11 being maintained by these men and women. We've
12 got triple the space, maybe five times, six times
13 the volume of space, and it's a task to keep it
14 clean. So, that's certainly a highlight. It took
15 over ten years to get to the status. I'd like to
16 thank many of you in this room for attending our
17 open house November 1st. We have well over 200
18 people here and a great show of support from the
19 community and neighboring fire districts, mainly
20 volunteer type districts.
21 Another highlight was already mentioned,
22 the 6 P.M. to 6 A.M. duty crew, I think is
23 noteworthy, particularly noteworthy. There's a
24 graph in the packet on Page 9 that shows you're
25 getting, as of March 2010, you're now getting 124
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1 hours a week, where there's two people on duty
2 that have at least a cardiac and basic credentials
3 versus 40 hours a week a year ago.
4 So, our district web site, I would call
5 your attention to that. We're trying to get more
6 and more information on there, agendas, minutes,
7 reports, pictures, you name it; and if anyone has
8 suggestions, let it be known. We have 13 phones
9 you can call and I'm sure there's plenty of space
10 to leave a message.
11 At the bottom of Page 9, I'll speak in
12 more detail about our operating budget that the
13 board is proposing, but the paragraph at the
14 bottom of Page 9 goes into a fair amount of detail
15 for what is projected as a 5.1 percent increase in
16 the operating budget, okay. And just a couple of
17 other comments. The idea of applying for grants
18 was mentioned.
19 Last year, we received almost $70,000 for
20 a gear grant. This year we received $49,000 for
21 the Cascade Air System. And I'll have some
22 comments regarding grants when we talk about
23 budget, also. Our standard administrative
24 procedures were addressed and are being addressed
25 currently. At this place in time, we have 15
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1 standard administrative procedures in place and
2 approved by the board, subject to a final edit.
3 So, I think that's a real good accomplishment.
4 The building committee, you can read the dialogue
5 that's there. The building committee formally
6 disbanded in the late September, early October
7 timeframe. And from that time to the present, the
8 board of directors took over, as they say here,
9 the myriad of duties or the myriad of things that
10 needed to be completed, and you can read the
11 laundry list of things there.
12 I think one of the highlights is that the
13 district ended up in the late fall of 2009
14 entering into a mortgage for approximately $1.5
15 million for 30 years at 4.75 percent, which is
16 considerably under the projected mortgage at one
17 point of approximately $1.8 million, and 5.25
18 percent for 40 years. So, I think we were fairly
19 lucky to get such a low rate and to get a mortgage
20 for 30 years, not 40. Over the lifetime of the
21 mortgage, there's considerable savings in
22 interest.
23 Steve mentioned the replacement of Engine
24 9, our 32-year-old engine, okay. You know,
25 doesn't pump water. So, Engine 9 died. Okay.
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1 So, like the horse that died, we got off the
2 horse. So -- instead of trying to ride it. And
3 next -- well, lastly here, I'd like to thank the
4 department leadership and members, the district
5 officers and district officers are Glenn Underwood
6 over here our treasurer; Jean Pomfret, our
7 district clerk; and Joan Smith, our tax collector,
8 sitting over at the table, and presently our
9 moderator's position is vacant. The board of
10 directors, like to thank Stephen Autieri, Esquire,
11 who is currently on the board. Peter Beauchaine,
12 who unfortunately could not be here tonight, he's
13 the dispatcher for the Exeter ambulance or rescue
14 service. He has to take mandatory training
15 tonight. So -- and we can thank the flood for
16 that because it was supposed to be last week. So,
17 Richard Holt is here, okay. And Jonathan
18 Mitchell, there, and myself. And seriously, the
19 last paragraph in my report, it gives you my
20 e-mail address and gives Chief Pomfret's phone
21 number. So, if you ever want to correspond with
22 me, e-mail is a great way. The other way would be
23 to call, the same number as the chief, and leave a
24 message for me, and I will gladly get back to you.
25 So, in closing, thank you for your support.
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1 MODERATOR BURNS: The chief of the
2 department has asked permission to address you
3 about the storms and the things they've had to do,
4 bring you up to speed as to where they are, what
5 they're doing.
6 CHIEF POMFRET: Thank you, Mr. Moderator.
7 Just some events that have happened in the past
8 couple of weeks I'd like to bring to your
9 attention, some good, some bad. I'll start with
10 the good. I'd like to add to my report the events
11 of last week's storm. Our department personnel
12 spent countless hours throughout the storm, day
13 and night rendering aid to our citizens. The
14 department pumped out 94 basements, assisted
15 stranded motorists, and playing a key role in
16 preventing the Quidnick Reservoir dam from
17 breaching. The department apparatus performed as
18 expected. However, one of the portable pumps that
19 was loaned to us failed. Our staff deserves much
20 credit for their efforts. You probably saw the
21 pictures coming in. It showed some pretty
22 interesting pictures of our district, different
23 streets, bridges, Quidnick Reservoir, which,
24 again, I think we can give ourselves a big pat on
25 the back for saving that.
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1 On the negative side, I received some
2 comments that quite disturbed me. Thirty years in
3 this business for this district, I have given you
4 30 years of my life. I just want to comment on
5 the negative comments that have been spread
6 through the district in the past two weeks; and
7 it's sad to hear from some former officials and
8 one past member of our department talking so much
9 trash about the district and the department.
10 Scare tactics are being distributed in regards to
11 the operating budget and continuous crying over
12 the new Engine 9, a life-saving tool for the
13 district. The new engine does not affect the
14 budget in any way. This engine was purchased with
15 funding that our firefighters and EMT's earned for
16 the district while they perform their duties at a
17 discounted rate. It is rather sad that these
18 negative individuals also wanted to discount the
19 lives of our firefighters. I hope the majority of
20 the folks here tonight want to see our department
21 continue to shine and share with us the pride that
22 we have for our fine fire district. Thank you.
23 Respectfully submitted, Chief Joel Pomfret.
24 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Chief
25 Pomfret. The next order of business on our agenda
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1 is the election of officers, the officers of the
2 district. I have a -- we have a ballot prepared
3 for the officers that -- positions that are
4 contended. The district clerk will -- has already
5 passed out all the ballots. At last count, there
6 was 155 ballots. The clerk will conduct the
7 collection of the ballots. The tellers will be
8 Jan Jensic (phonetic), Paul Rush, and David
9 Dunbar, and, Jan, can you step up here. You want
10 to collect the ballots box here --
11 MS. POMFRET: What we'll do is pass --
12 MODERATOR BURNS: Pass the box. I'm
13 going to give the candidates time to speak, okay.
14 For each candidate who is contended, all right,
15 the notice of the meeting gave each candidate
16 position to speak. Jean, you'll hold that up
17 until they finish their speeches?
18 MS. POMFRET: I will.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: For the board of
20 directors, there are two positions open, and five
21 qualified candidates. I'll call on each candidate
22 in order to speak before you. First candidate for
23 board of directors is Steven Autieri. Step
24 forward.
25 MR. AUTIERI: Thank you. As the
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1 moderator stated, my name is Steven Autieri. I've
2 been a resident of Western Coventry for the past
3 25 years. Employed presently with Liberty Title,
4 which I serve as its managing attorney. I have
5 been practicing real estate law for well over 18
6 years. Presently I serve on the board of
7 directors for the Western Coventry Fire
8 District --
9 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Louder.
10 MR. AUTIERI: Presently I serve on the
11 board of directors for the Western Coventry Fire
12 Direct as well as sitting on its SAT Board for the
13 district. I have, over the last year, developed a
14 great fondness for the district; but it was not
15 always that way. When we first moved here, I was
16 quite skeptical of them. I saw how things were
17 run and wondered sometimes a lot about we're
18 dealing with the Keystone Cops. I was never
19 really sure as to the district or department's
20 effectiveness. However, I have come around. I've
21 seen effective groups both district and department
22 wide. There are a lot of dedicated folks here,
23 people who serve us, the residents of Western
24 Coventry.
25 What I do see now, though, as the chief
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1 mentioned, is a lot of division and faction,
2 factions which threaten the core and undermine
3 what positive steps we, as a district, need to
4 accomplish and have accomplished. There is a need
5 for new voices to be heard here. What those
6 voices need to argue for is what is fair and
7 balanced. There's a need to balance the voice of
8 the taxpayer to the needs of its fire department.
9 I feel that I can be that impartial voice, the
10 voice that seeks wisdom and equality, a voice of
11 reason. A board of director's seat should be
12 filled with that voice of reason. This seat is
13 not easy. You really need to want it bad. The
14 juggling act we face is how we provide the best
15 service, using the best equipment, while trying to
16 keep the costs down. These economic times, as we
17 all know, are not the best. Outside factors keep
18 eating away at whatever reserves we have. Some of
19 us live paycheck to paycheck. Those of you in
20 that situation would ask why costs need to go up?
21 How do we drive those numbers down? Be careful.
22 Remember, let us not be fooled, let us not cut off
23 our noses to spite our faces. How would we all
24 feel if, due to the lack of up-to-date equipment,
25 we would lose our biggest asset, our home.
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1 Folks, if I can speak candidly, we have
2 to move the department squarely behind their
3 chief, a department that, for the most part, seems
4 truly dedicated. Let me be your choice to be the
5 voice, the one who balances cost versus
6 effectiveness. I would love the opportunity and
7 would promise you right here, right now, that not
8 a one of you will be disappointed that you gave me
9 your vote. Thank you.
10 MODERATOR BURNS: Now, in alphabetical
11 order, the next candidate would be Peter
12 Beauchaine. I believe he's not here. Is there
13 anyone that wants to speak for him? If not, I'll
14 give you the opportunity --
15 MR. BELMORE: I'm speak for him.
16 MODERATOR BURNS: I appreciate that.
17 Thank you
18 MR. BELMORE: Ryan Belmore, 40
19 Tillinghast Road, I'm speaking on behalf of Peter
20 Beauchaine of 126 Waterman Hill Road in Greene,
21 Rhode Island. Peter has been a part of this
22 department for as long as I can remember, as long
23 as the chief's been here. I'd say he's been
24 around for 20 years. He's been in the fire
25 business as a dispatcher here in Coventry full
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1 time. Exeter, I will tell you, I didn't know
2 Peter wasn't going to be here. I didn't know I
3 was going to be speaking for him, but there is
4 nobody more passionate, dedicated to making sure
5 the taxpayers and firefighters of this district
6 are safe. Peter's been a huge asset to a lot of
7 firefighters here. I was a member here from '96
8 until the early 2000's, and Peter taught me as
9 well as Firefighter Autieri, Safety Officer
10 Autieri, and a lot of other firefighters, he
11 brought us into this business. He's been a great
12 asset, and he was here running on call when nobody
13 else was. So, I ask that you please vote for
14 Peter Beauchaine. Thank you.
15 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, young man.
16 John Humble. Mr. Humble.
17 MR. HUMBLE: Thank you, Mr. Moderator.
18 My name is John Humble, I've lived with my wife at
19 6189 Flat River Road for the past 23 1/2 years. I
20 have three current concerns that have driven me to
21 offer my services again. First, alongside many
22 other volunteers, I derive a great deal of
23 personal satisfaction during my six-year volunteer
24 work as Chair of the building committee and clerk
25 of the works for this much warranted new facility,
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1 for as long as my schedule permitted, which was up
2 until the granting of the certificate of
3 occupancy. Therefore, it comes as a great
4 disappointment that the voters who supported the
5 cost to construct this finest fire station in the
6 town of Coventry and surrounding communities are
7 now being presented with a significant and risky
8 tax increase, not brought on by the cost of this
9 new station. I don't believe that faction is what
10 the majority of the membership had in mind as a
11 way of showing their appreciation just a mere six
12 months after taking occupancy.
13 Second, in my opinion, it was unfortunate
14 that there were those who felt it necessary to
15 attempt to discard all of the hard work that went
16 into the foundation of a set of 45 or more
17 standard administrative procedures. Fortunately,
18 Director Richard Holt was able to give cause for
19 second thoughts that reduced to some extent the
20 potential damage.
21 Third and final, for want of improved and
22 responsible planning all district voters were not
23 given the opportunity to weigh in on the recent
24 acquisition of a $348,000 piece of apparatus.
25 Given that this has traditionally been a courteous
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
26
1 and neighborly practice for such a costly
2 expenditure since this district's beginning in
3 1942, and it is clearly a practice promoted within
4 the text of Page 6 of our governing charter. What
5 has exacerbated this issue is that the apparent
6 critical needs for the significant purchase has
7 been known within the organization for the past
8 several years but not regularly communicated or
9 addressed for the benefit of the voters.
10 Regretfully, these three areas of concern have
11 been perceived by many residents as initial signs
12 of arrogance and defiance, signs that are not
13 reserved by many within the organization. Signs
14 that must be corrected for this organization to
15 receive the continued support of our entire
16 community. There is work to be done and more
17 reliable administrative processes to be
18 accomplished. Thank you very much.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Mr. Humble.
20 Mr. Earl R. Mann.
21 MR. MANN: Earl Mann, member, and the
22 life member of this department at the present
23 time. I was a firefighter. I was an EMT when
24 they first initiated the EMT program. I would
25 like to serve on the board to represent the
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
27
1 firefighters, EMS personnel, and the taxpayers so
2 that we can all be one as we should be and support
3 one another so that we do not have a situation
4 where it is them and us. That serves no useful
5 purpose. That is all I have to say at this time.
6 Thank you, Mr. Moderator.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Mr. Mann.
8 Mr. John Ricci.
9 MS. POMFRET: He's not here, Conrad.
10 MODERATOR BURNS: Is there anyone that
11 would like to speak on his behalf? If not, anyone
12 want to make any other comments with regard to the
13 election? There being none, since you're ready to
14 vote, I'm going to ask the clerk --
15 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Can I ask a question?
16 MODERATOR BURNS: Go ahead, sir. Please
17 step up to the microphone and give your name and
18 address.
19 MR. GORHAM: Can we ask questions of the
20 candidates? Nick Gorham, 7042 Flat River Road.
21 Can we ask questions of the candidate?
22 MODERATOR BURNS: Yes, you can, sir.
23 MR. GORHAM: I think what's precipitated
24 the crowd here tonight is the discussion about a
25 very expensive fire truck being purchased without
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
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1 the approval of the voters, and also, I guess,
2 without the indulgence of the treasurer of the
3 district as I understand it. To me, the treasurer
4 being the chartered officer named in the
5 legislative charter who can make decisions about
6 money, it seems to me it would have been a good
7 idea to have his indulgence on any such purchase.
8 So, Mr. Autieri, I guess my question is you voted
9 to buy the truck. Do you think it's helpful to
10 have the backing of the people before you buy the
11 truck, or do you think it's okay to ignore that?
12 MODERATOR BURNS: Mr. Autieri, do you
13 wish to respond to that?
14 MR. AUTIERI: A lot of debate went into
15 that whole scenario, Mr. Gorham, that I was quite
16 on the fence. There was a resolution passed by
17 the taxpayers which went back several years which
18 allowed the board of directors to purchase
19 equipment through the use of rescue recovery
20 funds. The truck is being purchased solely by
21 those rescue recovery funds and the debate came
22 up, which Mr. Underwood was a part of, it's not
23 like we cast him aside, but we did speak about it,
24 and we had a lot of debate going back and forth
25 with the board of directors --
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
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1 MR. GORHAM: But he was opposed --
2 MODERATOR BURNS: Excuse me, let the
3 gentleman answer --
4 MR. AUTIERI: So, the conversation went
5 about the taxpayers and going in front of the
6 taxpayers, when the resolution itself was passed,
7 by the taxpayers.
8 MR. GORHAM: How long ago was that
9 resolution presented to the taxpayers?
10 MR. AUTIERI: I think that Resolution was
11 passed in '04.
12 MR. GORHAM: Have we made any equipment
13 purchases since then with the same money that the
14 taxpayers approved?
15 MR. AUTIERI: I can't answer that
16 question because I was not on the board of
17 directors at that point. I'm fairly new to it.
18 MR. GORHAM: I can answer that, I
19 think --
20 MODERATOR BURNS: Excuse me. Ask the
21 treasurer --
22 MR. GORHAM: The next question is do you
23 think it's a good idea to be raising taxes in
24 times like this because you helped write this
25 budget, right?
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
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1 MR. AUTIERI: That's correct.
2 MR. GORHAM: How do you justify raising
3 taxes when times are so tough because the thing I
4 hear from people is times are really tough and
5 it's time for government to tighten its belt a
6 little bit. I know the Town of Coventry did that
7 last year. There was no tax increase for the
8 first time in like a decade at least. So, I think
9 people are a little disenchanted tonight to be
10 coming here and finding out there's, you know, a
11 tax increase larger than any town in this state
12 could legally impose on its citizens. So how do
13 you defend that?
14 MR. AUTIERI: I'm going to defend that in
15 the type of quality that the taxpayer here in
16 Western Coventry is getting and receiving. I
17 think it's very important to all of us that we
18 know that our homes and our lives are safe. And
19 the last thing I personally want is a piece of
20 equipment coming to my home that might fail.
21 MR. GORHAM: Well, do you think it could
22 be done without a tax increase? It's impossible
23 to do; is that what you're saying?
24 MR. AUTIERI: I'm not saying it's
25 impossible, Mr. Gorham. I'm just saying that I
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
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1 think it's difficult to provide the level of
2 service without having some sort of increase.
3 MR. GORHAM: So, we have to spend more
4 money to provide the services?
5 MR. AUTIERI: I would say for the most
6 part, to get the equipment that's needed, and to
7 get the service from these firefighters, yes.
8 MR. GORHAM: Sitting here tonight, there
9 isn't any way you would support a budget that
10 didn't impose a tax increase on everyone sitting
11 in this room?
12 MR. AUTIERI: That's not what I said.
13 MR. GORHAM: Okay. Could you clarify
14 what you said, then.
15 MR. AUTIERI: I'm saying look at it
16 realistically that in order to get the service
17 that you need to protect Western Coventry without
18 the use of antiquated equipment, potential to
19 fail, that's it's very difficult to pass a budget
20 that would not have had some sort of increase to
21 it, yes.
22 MR. GORHAM: So that means a tax
23 increase, right?
24 MODERATOR BURNS: I think we're going
25 around in circles. Is there anyone else that
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
32
1 wishes to be heard?
2 MR. GORHAM: I don't think I'm going
3 around in circles, but we've had enough. Thank
4 you.
5 MODERATOR BURNS: Is there anyone else
6 that wishes to be heard?
7 MR. JACKSON: Ken Jackson, 2799 Harkney
8 Hill Road. My question is again to you, is the
9 truck costing us more in taxes?
10 MR. AUTIERI: No.
11 MR. JACKSON: Thank you. Is the
12 department under a liability if you don't have the
13 right equipment; you are incorporated?
14 MR. AUTIERI: The liability that this
15 district would face if a house or life is lost,
16 this would be shut down. You would probably be
17 incorporated to Central Coventry and your tax bill
18 will go up.
19 MR. JACKSON: True. Also, the insurance
20 companies, such as mine, Amica, ever found out
21 that we were under-equipped or undermanned,
22 wouldn't our insurance go up, too?
23 MR. AUTIERI: Your rating would drop,
24 your insurance would go up.
25 MR. JACKSON: And, lastly, the increase
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
33
1 in the budget, and by the way, last year I
2 calculated, I believe it was over $8,000 you saved
3 in the budget that was proposed. Now, much of the
4 increase this year is because of salaries, and I
5 don't know about anybody else, but I like to make
6 a little more every year. We cannot undermine the
7 personnel in this department by not paying them;
8 am I right?
9 MR. AUTIERI: You are correct.
10 MR. JACKSON: Thank you.
11 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you. Anyone else
12 wish to be heard?
13 MS. POMFRET: Jean Pomfret, 6803 Flat
14 River Road. Do you have the figures for Anthony
15 and Hopkins Hill; do we know what the tax rates
16 are right now? Does anybody know offhand what
17 those tax rates are? Well --
18 MODERATOR BURNS: Mr. Novak.
19 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: Western Coventry -- the
20 district to the east of us, Central Coventry, has
21 a $1.72 residential tax rate. Our current tax
22 rate is $1.06. So, immediately, you know, if we
23 were to be taken over by our sister district, it
24 would be a 66 cent increase, compared to $1.06,
25 which is 62.3 percent higher, and I'm not even
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
34
1 including the idea that Central Coventry has a
2 $3.36 commercial rate. We don't have a commercial
3 rate in the western end, nor do we have a lot of
4 businesses. But the businesses that we do have
5 are not paying a commercial rate, and probably if
6 you check with all of the business owners, except
7 for maybe one business, a lot of people in those
8 families that run those businesses were department
9 members at some point or were maybe officers in
10 the district. So -- and then I just heard that,
11 what, Anthony is $2 and change; and to the best of
12 my knowledge, Hopkins hill is 1.35, but they also
13 have a commercial rate --
14 MR. GORHAM: I thought these were
15 questions for candidates. It wasn't to a
16 candidate. This was questions for candidates,
17 not --
18 MODERATOR BURNS: I gave him the right to
19 answer the question for the people. That right is
20 going to remain the same -- the question was did
21 we know the rate for the others. He knows. No
22 one else --
23 MR. GORHAM: We can do that during the
24 budget. I think it's pertinent to ask the
25 candidates what their position is on the budget
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
35
1 that's going to raise our taxes --
2 MODERATOR BURNS: Once you know what the
3 other budgets are so we can answer your question.
4 MS. POMFRET: Relative to the budget that
5 you're raising. Mr. Autieri, do you know the
6 rates? No, you'll defer --
7 MR. AUTIERI: I would have to defer.
8 MS. POMFRET: Sorry --
9 MR. NOVAK: Very briefly, Hopkins Hill
10 is, I believe, around 1.35. They have a
11 commercial tax rate, but they have extensive
12 commercial property in their district.
13 MS. POMFRET: Thank you. You answered my
14 question.
15 MR. NOVAK: Thank you for your
16 indulgence.
17 MODERATOR BURNS: Now, back to the
18 candidates. Any questions of the candidates?
19 Gentleman to the rear.
20 MR. POMFRET: Nathan Pomfret, 6803 Flat
21 River Road. I have a question for Mr. Humble.
22 Correct me if I'm wrong, you left the building
23 committee, correct? Correct? And that left a
24 station unfinished, uncleaned, without the
25 equipment, without computers, without storage shed
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
36
1 much needed, very much needed. Us volunteers on
2 our own time, we came down to clean, which is what
3 I thought was supposed to get done, the building
4 committee was supposed to take care of all that to
5 be done. We came down on our own time, worked
6 here, I mean in the 80-degree weather, no AC, till
7 about twelve o'clock, one o'clock in the night,
8 and that was all left on the lap of the chief and
9 our current board of directors to take care of. I
10 thought that was the job of the building
11 committee. Correct?
12 MR. HUMBLE: Mr. Moderator, may I
13 respond?
14 MODERATOR BURNS: You've been asked a
15 direct question. You certainly may, sir. Would
16 you come up to the microphone.
17 MR. HUMBLE: John Humble. Not no humble,
18 John Humble. It's true. I stepped down from the
19 building committee in late October. The building
20 was due to be finished in April. I had been that
21 committee Chair and during the construction, the
22 clerk of the works. It was taking approximately
23 25, 30, 35 hours a week of my time. With some
24 delicate negotiations on the home front, my dear
25 wife agreed to let me stay on until the
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
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1 certificate of occupancy was granted. We had some
2 problems, as most of you probably know, our
3 architect passed away. The state agencies were
4 creating some major delays. You may recall the
5 one thousand man walkout that took place about
6 that time at the state level and, of course, the
7 weather didn't cooperate as well. So, anyway, we
8 agreed -- my wife and I agreed I would stay on and
9 continue to dedicate the time until the
10 certificate of occupancy was granted. Now, I
11 guess I'm being perceived as being negative. I
12 don't disagree that we should have this truck, and
13 there are a lot things, and I know this department
14 is filled with great people. There's no question
15 about it, but there's some principles here that
16 we've got to hang onto. I alluded to the charter
17 that we have, and in the charter it says for the
18 purchase and procurement of instruments of
19 apparatus for the extinguishment of fires, and
20 then it says, as the taxpayers may determine at a
21 duly called meeting. Now, this Engine 9 was
22 purchased in 2004. I have a memo that was created
23 by the chief at the time that said that that
24 vehicle only had five years of life left in it.
25 Well, then, the thing to do would be to plan.
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
38
1 Now, Mr. Mitchell who has been on the board for
2 two years, Mr. Beauchaine has been on the board
3 for three years, and Mr. Novak has been on the
4 board since, I think, 2005, there's been a comment
5 made in the local newspaper that it's because of
6 the prior board that there was no plan made for
7 this replacement.
8 MODERATOR BURNS: Mr. Humble, you've got
9 to address his question. That's what created most
10 of the --
11 MR. HUMBLE: I'm just about done. I just
12 wanted to correct, obviously, Nathan Pomfret
13 thinks that I'm just negative. I mean, the amount
14 of time that I spent here was just incredible,
15 absolutely incredible, and I worked with some
16 great people who also spent a tremendous amount of
17 time. I was spending a good 30 hours a week since
18 this construction started.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Mr. Humble.
20 MR. POMFRET: Knowing that, the board --
21 you said that there's a lot of work and that's why
22 you stepped down?
23 MODERATOR BURNS: Wait a minute. Do you
24 have a point of order?
25 AUDIENCE MEMBER: The gentleman speaking
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
39
1 is not a taxpayer.
2 MR. POMFRET: Can everyone see that?
3 Thank you.
4 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, sir.
5 MR. POMFRET: Thank you. Now, the
6 board -- as a member on the board, that takes
7 countless hours of your time. Now, unless -- you
8 said you stepped down from the building committee
9 because the time was too much. As a board member,
10 you use a lot of your personal time that's very
11 busy, so you couldn't handle the time before, but
12 now you can? I'm done. That's it.
13 MODERATOR BURNS: Anyone else want to
14 speak? A question of a candidate? Chief?
15 CHIEF POMFRET: I don't know which one of
16 the two of you want to speak. There's two
17 co-authors on this. I don't know -- I'll call it
18 an ad that they put in the Reminder. I've got
19 some concerns. I'm just going to read a small
20 portion of it. The author of this ad --
21 MR. GORHAM: Point of order. I have a
22 point of order.
23 MODERATOR BURNS: Go ahead, sir. Make
24 your point.
25 MR. GORHAM: It's a little bit, I think,
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
40
1 unfair, inappropriate, in my opinion, for the
2 chief of the district who is appointed by the
3 board of directors to start getting up and
4 questioning people who are running for office.
5 MODERATOR BURNS: Excuse me, to answer
6 your point of order, at what point do I restrict
7 his rights as a citizen, not in this room, not in
8 the charter. You're out of order. You're out of
9 order, Mr. Gorham. Sit down.
10 CHIEF POMFRET: My point of concern is is
11 I fear for the lives of everybody in this room. I
12 am responsible for every life that resides, works,
13 and passes through this district. I have to
14 answer to everything in a court of law if
15 something happens to you because I failed to
16 provide safety, life safety. My concern is, and
17 I'm going to ask Mr. Mann and Mr. Humble, you guys
18 co-authored this, so, please, if one, if not both,
19 could answer this question. You mentioned we
20 wholeheartedly support satisfying the well thought
21 out needs of our dedicated and professional
22 firefighters, emergency medical technicians that
23 serve our district with great loyalty. But given
24 these extreme difficult economic times that we're
25 all trying to make ends meet in our own
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
41
1 households, we are of the opinion that such an
2 increase is inappropriate and displays little
3 consideration to the voters that recently
4 supported the cost to construct the fire station.
5 My point I'm trying to make is are you willing to
6 compromise the budget to save a few dollars and
7 also compromising the safety of the lives in the
8 district. As your chief, it's my responsibility
9 to provide to you a service. When you need it,
10 we're going to be there. We'll save your lives,
11 we'll save your property. That's our goal here.
12 I'm just concerned, it appears to me you're
13 compromising those goals of the district, and me
14 as the fire chief, could you please answer where
15 you're coming from with that statement.
16 MODERATOR BURNS: I'm going the rule that
17 any answer to that be brought up under the budget
18 discussions. Get back to anyone who wants to
19 question your candidate. Gentleman for the second
20 time.
21 MR. JACKSON: Ken Jackson. Mr. Humble,
22 one of the people that served on the board lives
23 next door to me or lived next door to me. His
24 name is Dennis Fournier. Did he spend a few
25 hours, too? From what I heard from him, he had a
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1 certain member on the board who drove him crazy.
2 Why? Because he kept on walking out of meetings
3 when he didn't get his way; is that true?
4 MODERATOR BURNS: I think that's enough.
5 You made your point. Anyone else who wants to
6 question the candidate, go ahead.
7 MS. PRATA: Gail Prata, 5187 Flat River
8 Road. Mr. Autieri, if I'm not mistaken, what I am
9 coming away with you saying is that if we could
10 not give these firefighters raises, they are not
11 going to do a good job for me. I'm not getting a
12 raise in my job this year. I am very fortunate to
13 have a job. I'm not getting a raise, but that
14 does not mean I am not going to go out and do a
15 good job for my employer. That's what I'm hearing
16 you saying; is that correct?
17 MR. AUTIERI: No. I'm saying that part
18 of the budget increase has to do with salaries,
19 yes.
20 MS. PRATA: Okay, but I also heard you
21 say if we do not support these firefighters and
22 give them a raise, and I commend them on what they
23 do. I do a good job. I'm not getting a raise,
24 but I'm hearing you say if we don't give them a
25 raise, we're not going to get the same quality of
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
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1 workmanship from them.
2 MR. AUTIERI: The budget is not about a
3 raise.
4 MS. PRATA: What's it about then? That's
5 part of it.
6 MR. AUTIERI: It's keeping these crews
7 here overnight to answer calls in a timely
8 fashion.
9 MS. PRATA: That's what they do for what
10 they're making right now. I'm not making any
11 more. How many of you are getting a raise this
12 year?
13 MR. AUTIERI: That has nothing to do with
14 a raise. It's keeping it staffed.
15 MS. PRATA: Are there going to be
16 increases in the salaries?
17 MR. AUTIERI: There are certain -- there
18 are certain members --
19 MODERATOR BURNS: This is getting into
20 the budget. You'll have your chance at budget to
21 make a motion to that effect, if you want.
22 MS. PRATA: -- answer your question about
23 something he brought up and he alluded to in his
24 conversation.
25 MR. AUTIERI: There are certain members
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
44
1 of the department that will get an increase, yes,
2 but the gist of the increase is not about
3 increases in salaries. It's keeping a staff here
4 overnight to get crews out in an emergency on
5 time. Time is everything, ma'am.
6 MS. PRATA: Okay. Thank you.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you.
8 MS. SWEENEY: Millie Sweeney, 919 Whaley
9 Hollow. Mr. Autieri, I have a question --
10 Mr. Autieri, I have a question, the idea of
11 staffing overnight with people --
12 MODERATOR BURNS: They still can't hear
13 you.
14 MS. SWEENEY: I have a question. The
15 question is with this young lady here, she's
16 worried about pay raises for the staff. From what
17 I understand, it's about staffing overnight,
18 correct?
19 MR. AUTIERI: That is exactly the point.
20 It's staffing overnight. Folks, what you don't
21 understand is that if there's not a crew here
22 overnight and there's an emergency in your homes,
23 these crews have to come from their homes, get
24 here, get a truck, go out the door, and get to
25 you. Time is valuable. It could be a loss of
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
45
1 life. The staffing overnight is the key element
2 here.
3 MS. SWEENEY: Two weeks ago, I had to
4 call rescue, 911, that young lady came to my
5 house, took me to the hospital, and thanks to her
6 and the young man standing next to her. In the
7 rainstorm two weeks ago, we had that rainstorm, I
8 had water in my cellar that day, but they came and
9 they took care of me. I stayed overnight. I
10 didn't go home until the next day. I want to
11 commend these young men and women for the work
12 that they do. If we're going to worry about
13 giving a small increase in our taxes, I'm a
14 senior, I'm not getting a pay raise for two years.
15 Obama already told me that. Two years, and maybe
16 after that I might get 1 percent. I might get
17 nothing, but if we don't keep these young men and
18 women here working, are we going to get the
19 experienced people? They are experienced already.
20 Is your life worth a few dollars? My life is
21 worth more than a few dollars. So, ladies and
22 gentlemen, please give them the raise they need.
23 Thank you.
24 MODERATOR BURNS: Anyone else for the
25 first time? Anyone else for the first time? The
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
46
1 gentleman over here.
2 MR. TATRO: Joe Tatro, 715 Hammet Road.
3 I was a member of the building committee, and I
4 voted for John Humble tonight because he's spent
5 countless hours, and I can honestly say that short
6 of hiring somebody, we contemplated trying to hire
7 someone to oversee the building to look out for
8 the taxpayers' interest, and he ended up taking
9 the job for free, and he did it every day, six
10 days a week, for free, and it's amazing the amount
11 of time and effort he put it. If you saw the
12 folders he carried in, there was folders that
13 needed a couple of people to carry them in every
14 night, the stuff that he organized. And he picked
15 up things that no one else would have ever
16 noticed. He's a very organized person. He was an
17 engineer for a couple of companies, and I've known
18 about construction and about firefighting, and I
19 was amazed what he did for this department. And
20 he has his own opinions about some things, just
21 like I do, but the quality of what he did for this
22 district shouldn't be underscored because we're
23 bickering over a fire district or a tax rate.
24 He's a very professional person. Thank you.
25 MODERATOR BURNS: Please be brief.
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
47
1 MS. PRATA: Gail Prata. Mr. Autieri, I'd
2 like to know how many lives have been lost to the
3 overnight shift before we implemented one? I've
4 been here for 20 years. I've had great service on
5 the overnight hours when they've come to my house
6 for my father-in-law who passed away. So, I'd
7 like to know, if this is a problem, then I'd like
8 to know how many lives have been lost. I'd like
9 something to relate it to.
10 MR. AUTIERI: Why should we even risk the
11 chance of one life, ma'am?
12 MS. PRATA: I don't think we have -- I
13 think they've been doing a great job. They're
14 doing a great job.
15 MR. AUTIERI: I think your argument is
16 moot at this point.
17 MS. PRATA: Okay. Thank you.
18 MODERATOR BURNS: Anyone else wish to be
19 heard for the first time?
20 MR. FRAT: Peter Frat, 1640 Plainfield
21 Pike. Mr. Autieri, as far as salary goes, if you
22 could, I don't know if you have the numbers
23 available, what are we talking about as far as
24 these fine men and women here, what are we paying
25 them versus full-time, around-the-clock staff,
ALLIED COURT REPORTERS, INC. (401) 946-5500
48
1 benefits, health care; how much money are we
2 saving? So, my question is how bad could it be?
3 I mean, we're getting, in my opinion, what seems
4 to be a great service for a pretty -- very
5 reasonable price. So, if these fine men and women
6 were not here, what would we be paying? I'd like
7 to know the numbers.
8 MR. AUTIERI: Probably spending more than
9 $15 to $20 more per hour.
10 MR. FRAT: Okay. So, we're getting a
11 heck of a deal, it would seem.
12 MR. AUTIERI: For the price, yes.
13 MR. FRAT: And as far as the engine, if I
14 may bring that up again, by the purchase of this
15 new piece of fire apparatus, it serves as the type
16 of primary responding engine company for this
17 district and not a tanker?
18 MR. AUTIERI: That is correct.
19 MR. FRAT: Are we adding a piece of
20 apparatus or are we maintaining the same amount of
21 apparatus we've been maintaining for the past
22 couple of years?
23 MR. AUTIERI: We are maintaining.
24 MR. FRAT: Okay. So, it's not like we've
25 gone Engine 9 and now we have Engine 10 or a
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1 Ladder 3 or another truck; it's the same amount of
2 trucks?
3 MR. AUTIERI: Correct.
4 MR. FRAT: So, would this be considered
5 an emergency purchase to maintain our level of
6 service, or are we trying to expand it without
7 their approval?
8 MR. AUTIERI: Very much so, very much a
9 piece of emergency equipment.
10 MR. FRAT: So without it, we would not be
11 able to function as we are now?
12 MR. AUTIERI: Not getting to some of the
13 houses that are out in Western Coventry, no.
14 MR. FRAT: Okay. Sounds good. Thank you
15 very much.
16 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you. Thank you.
17 Anyone else who wishes -- wants to be heard? If
18 not, I'd like to move on with the election. Is
19 the clerk available? All the people in this
20 section over here, you can go up and place your
21 ballot.
22 (PAUSE)
23 MODERATOR BURNS: Is there anyone else
24 wishing to cast their vote who has not done so?
25 Please do it now. Ballot boxes will be closed and
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1 they'll go in the next room to count. Ladies and
2 gentlemen, the ballot box is closed. Chair calls
3 a two-minute recess.
4 (RECESS)
5 MODERATOR BURNS: For the position of the
6 fire district board, there are two openings.
7 Results of the tally are as follows: Mr. Autieri,
8 44; Mr. Beauchaine, 38; Mr. Humble, 136; Mr. Mann,
9 121; Mr. Ricci, 3. The Chair -- ladies and
10 gentlemen, the Chair declares Mr. Humble and Mr.
11 Mann duly elected for their term. The Chair is
12 also going to direct the secretary to cast one
13 ballot for the unopposed officers of the district
14 for the term of their term of office. Ladies and
15 gentlemen, that concludes the elections, and I'm
16 sorry it took so long, but democracy is sometimes
17 a little slower in the works.
18 The next order of business is old
19 business. I'm informed there's none. Means
20 there's no one here that's old, either. That's
21 good. New business. The district budget for the
22 year 2010-2011. If any of you come up to speak on
23 the budget, I ask you to be as brief and to the
24 point as you can. Try not to repeat your
25 neighbor. It's getting late. Mr. Novak.
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1 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: Thank you. The
2 operating budget is presented starting on Page 14.
3 It covers the time period, March 1, 2010, to
4 February 28, 2011. The budget area, the first
5 column, compensation and payroll taxes, the
6 proposal is $296,946. It represents an 8.2
7 percent increase. If you look towards the bottom
8 of Page 14, it gives you the detail for the
9 compensation and payroll taxes. In the bottom
10 chart, the full-time personnel, the proposal is
11 $119,400. This represents a $7,229.50 increase in
12 that line item. It's for salary and health care
13 and payroll taxes, $7,229.50. Department
14 officers, which includes the chief, the deputy
15 chief, two captains, and formerly two lieutenants.
16 This year we're proposing three lieutenants. The
17 safety officer is included this year at the rank
18 of lieutenant. That's the first time that we
19 budgeted for the position of safety officer. The
20 safety officer did serve last year and received
21 zero for his efforts. $27,550 for department
22 officers. It represents a $7,920 increase.
23 Now, the next two lines, run pay and duty
24 crew, you know, looks like it's up and down, up
25 and down. The reason for that is the
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1 implementation of the duty shift, 6 P.M. to 6 A.M.
2 So, if you look at the run pay, $32,000, the duty
3 crew, $71,952, if you total the two, it is a
4 $7,955 increase, and a lot of that increase,
5 $6,862 of the $7,900 increase is actually out of
6 our control.
7 When we implemented the duty shift in
8 October, we were given the EMT basic and incentive
9 of $70; and, you know, we are asking them to stay
10 here, they need to be here for 12 hours, and was
11 below minimum wage of $7.40. So, we increased
12 their incentive to minimum wage, $7.40 an hour
13 times 12, $88.80 for the shift, the cardiacs
14 receive $100 for their efforts for 12 hours.
15 District officers are budgeted at $23,800. The
16 district officers I alluded to before, the
17 district clerk, receives a salary; the treasurer
18 receives a salary, and the tax collector receives
19 a salary. Our good moderator here and former
20 moderators get nothing. So, payroll taxes, and
21 certainly when pay increases, payroll taxes
22 increase proportionately. Clothing is budgeted at
23 the same, $1,200, and the IRA 401(k) program we
24 have is still at $2,600. It does, as I say, it
25 represents an 8.2 percent increase, and I would
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1 add that the board of directors is not
2 compensated. So, the five people that serve on
3 the board do not receive any compensation
4 whatsoever.
5 Going back to training and
6 administration, $16,535, and I would note that
7 that's a decrease. Chief Pomfret and myself spent
8 many hours looking at every dollar in the budget,
9 as far as expenses. We literally looked at every
10 report that Treasurer Glenn had presented us with,
11 expenditures by the month, totaled them up for the
12 year, looked at them, and there's a few areas that
13 we thought we could decrease. Training and
14 administration was one. We're fortunate enough to
15 get some grants that kind of fill the void there.
16 Truck and equipment maintenance, $25,500 is a 9.9
17 percent decrease. Hopefully, we will not run into
18 a problem with your ambulance that we ran into the
19 past year. With a new first-line rescue pumper,
20 we're not expecting to spend money on maintaining
21 that piece of equipment. Gear and equipment is
22 $14,120, represents a 20.4 percent decrease. We
23 had a gear grant last year. We were fortunate
24 enough to buy 23 to 25 sets of gear. You see them
25 hanging in these ready racks that our department
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1 members assembled. Building and facility
2 maintenance $28,100, that's a 10.7 percent
3 increase.
4 There's a number of contracts that we
5 need to enter into, the heating and ventilation
6 system, the fire suppression system. We have a
7 contract on the overheard doors and I'm probably
8 forgetting another one. So, insurance, $40,100 is
9 an 8 percent increase; and due to the station, the
10 value of the station is 2.2 million plus, and the
11 associated insurance cost. Legal and
12 professional, $14,400, down by 10.8 percent.
13 Office supplies down to $4,100, negative 31.7
14 percent. Telephone, we increased it by $200 to
15 $3,200. We now have three phone lines servicing
16 the district instead of two; two for phone, and
17 one for fax. Fire prevention, $1,550. We did put
18 a line item in for that or an amount in in the
19 past year. We spent $1,073. And miscellaneous a
20 thousand dollars. So, subtotal is $452,151.
21 And the new station accrual, that's
22 actually -- this year is the new station mortgage,
23 it's $95,270, represents a $5,270 increase, and we
24 have no choice. We have a mortgage payment of
25 7,900 and change times 12. So, the board is
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1 proposing a budget of $547,421. It represents a
2 5.1 percent increase budget to budget.
3 On Page 15 are the revenue projections,
4 and the fire taxes line is $505,488 is a
5 projection at this point. The state auto tax
6 is -- we did include it in our revenue projections
7 at $27,000, which is a zero percent increase, and
8 I'll talk about that in a few minutes. Our
9 interest is down, say, $600, at least that's what
10 our projection is. It will probably be more like
11 1,500 or 2,000. For argument sake, our
12 projection, we went to the low side, 600. Smoke
13 detectors, we expect to get in $1,200 for that.
14 Blue print inspections, forecast to be off, down
15 to 350. Other income and legislative grants, we
16 only included $250. We're hopeful that
17 representatives come through like they have in the
18 past, and we get the full 2,000. And then the
19 surplus supply is the same surplus as last year
20 that we applied, and I don't believe we needed it
21 to balance our budget this past year of $12,533.
22 So, as I say that is a projection. The tax rate
23 will not be set at tonight's meeting, all right.
24 Only the operating budget will be set this
25 evening. What we know is the estimated tax rate
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1 of what we do know is that 2009 actual tax rate is
2 $1.06 per thousand dollars evaluated. So, that's
3 what our current residential rate is. The next
4 line, the key word there, I guess, is "assuming."
5 The 2010 estimated tax rate, assuming
6 2009 valuations and the district collects the
7 $27,000 state auto tax and another $1,700 of state
8 legislative grants, the assumption is that our tax
9 rate will be $1.12, which would mean we'd need a 6
10 cent increase in our tax rate, assuming those
11 statements, okay. And then the next one, I kind
12 of refer to it as the doomsday estimate. The 2010
13 estimated tax rate, assuming the 2009 valuation
14 and that the district does not collect 27,000
15 state auto excise tax and we don't get the $1,750
16 state legislative grant, we'd be losing around
17 $29,000 of income. So, that, again, would require
18 another 6 cents if that happens, okay. So, some
19 comments in regard to the revenue, we do not set
20 our tax rate until around the August board of
21 directors' meeting, somewhere in there, July,
22 August, in that timeframe. We will have the
23 assessed valuations from the town, and then we
24 will determine what the level will be to generate
25 the funds that we need.
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1 Since this budget was prepared, we had a
2 rain event roughly three weeks ago. We had
3 another rain event a week ago, and the department
4 has put in invoices to FEMA in anticipation of
5 getting quite a few thousand dollars in
6 unanticipated revenue. We're allowed to charge X
7 number of dollars per piece of equipment, so on
8 and so forth. And, you know, the district stands
9 to get maybe for the first rainy event, might be
10 fortunate enough to garner 7 or $8,000 perhaps in
11 revenue, and this last rain event, we could get
12 considerably more money since they did triple the
13 work, okay. So, I think FEMA will be helping us
14 out.
15 If we do lose the auto tax, I think the
16 money we get in from FEMA will help to make up
17 that difference. And at the present time, the
18 state auto tax is currently the law, but I just
19 talked to our representative over here, and stay
20 tuned, Wednesday, H-7160A, okay, all of you can
21 get on the Internet and so on. They're talking
22 about it.
23 So -- so, anyway, that second part, that
24 $1.18, I guess I'm making the assumption that's
25 where people are around talking about a 12 percent
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1 increase. Well, I think that's not going to
2 happened. That's doomsday. With the FEMA
3 reimbursement, I don't know how we're going to run
4 into a revenue problem. Also, the DEM, Office of
5 Air Resources, the Engine 9 that we paid $12,000
6 for five years ago, we are the recipients, we
7 don't have the check in hand, but we've been
8 approved for a $50,000 reimbursement for that
9 truck. We paid 12,000 for it; and when we
10 disabled the diesel engine, we're getting 50,000
11 for it. So, if you just look strictly at the
12 truck, I think that's a pretty good return on our
13 money.
14 So, my point in mentioning this
15 anticipated $50,000, which we should have within
16 thirty days, at least that's what the grant people
17 are saying, the board, you know, in April, I would
18 assume, will be taking a look at how we use that
19 $50,000, okay. Perhaps the 50,000 can be used if
20 we did enter in a doomsday situation, that might
21 be one option. There's probably a whole host of
22 options, but there's $50,000 coming into the
23 district that we did not anticipate, and I should
24 speak to one other item, also. I'm kind of
25 leaving the budget, but I think it needs to be
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1 said in regard to Engine 9.
2 A year ago, roughly March of 2009, March,
3 April timeframe, the department prepared an
4 assistant firefighter grant in anticipation of the
5 need to replace Engine 9 in the amount of
6 $394,000. Now, they're halfway through the rounds
7 of awards, all right. So, all of the awards have
8 not been given yet for that grant. So, whether
9 our district stands a chance of getting some money
10 in regard to that $394,000 request, I don't know.
11 But it is posted, firegrantssupport.com. Every
12 Friday they list the awards throughout the
13 country. So -- and we've been in contact with
14 your legislators and other people to get some
15 support as far as, you know, getting some money
16 through that grant. So, there was foresight a
17 year ago to submit a grant for that work. I think
18 that's it, as far as our proposed budget.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: You heard the
20 highlights of the proposed budget. It's question
21 time. Anyone wish to raise a question? Young
22 lady.
23 MS. JENSIC: Jan Jensic, 2387 Plainfield
24 Pike. I'd just like a clarification under this
25 compensation and payroll taxes. It includes Blue
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1 Cross. Is that a health insurance? I don't think
2 that was really explained or else I missed it
3 somewhere. Could you just kind of clarify that
4 for us what it's for and how many?
5 MR. NOVAK: Yes. The -- Jan is referring
6 to on Page 14, the bottom chart, full-time
7 personnel. The $119,400 includes a total, it's
8 for two people basically. We have two full-time
9 people that work here basically Monday through
10 Saturday, 8 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon,
11 they receive Blue Cross as their health care, and
12 they do co-pay also in their recent contract. But
13 the cost of providing that Blue Cross is roughly,
14 for both people, a total of $4,000. So, that line
15 item, as I explained before, it's increased
16 $7,000. $3,000 of that is roughly for a salary
17 increase, and $4,000 is roughly for the health
18 care, okay. And the other $229.50 is the payroll
19 tax increase for those two individuals. No one
20 else receives health care from the district.
21 MODERATOR BURNS: Any other questions?
22 Yes, sir.
23 MR. MAYES: Mr. Moderator, Skip Mayes
24 from Perry Hill Road. Question for Mr. Novak. I
25 don't pretend to be the brightest bulb in the
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1 chandelier, but I'm just sort of curious, you
2 know, you're talking a doomsday scenario to
3 basically build the revenues that you're
4 projecting of $547,000, if I'm reading correctly,
5 of which you also said that 27,000 in auto state
6 tax reimbursements are possible. With the state
7 facing a $210 million deficit, isn't it realistic
8 to expect that that's going to go away for
9 starters. That's Question Number 1.
10 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: The $547,421 budget, I
11 wasn't -- the first line, the $1.12, is not the
12 doomsday --
13 MR. MAYES: I'm not looking at that,
14 Mr. Novak. I'm looking on Page 15, your revenue
15 projections. You've got a total of 547,421. That
16 includes $27,000 in state auto tax reimbursement.
17 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: Correct. And if we get
18 the $27,000, state auto tax reimbursement, and the
19 $1,750 from the state legislative grants, we
20 estimate or project --
21 MR. MAYES: If you may, sir --
22 Mr. Moderator, if I may, let's hold it to that,
23 the state auto tax, that's my primary question,
24 not all the rest of the stuff for the time being.
25 MR. NOVAK: You have to ask the question
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1 again.
2 MR. MAYES: Okay. It is realistic we're
3 going to see the $27,000
4 MR. NOVAK: I can't predict that.
5 MR. MAYES: I'll predict for you, then.
6 I say no. You've got $210 million in deficit
7 state level. It's highly unlikely, in spite of
8 the good work on behalf of our legislators, that
9 we're going to see that money. Now, that tells
10 me, not being the bright bulb again, that we're
11 going to be short, flipping back to Page 14 on
12 your expenditures, where you want to spend
13 $547,000, that tells me we're coming up short by
14 roughly $27,000 which gives us a proposed budget
15 of $520,000 to be realistic. Now, you can make
16 that up by going to the cookie jar that's called
17 the taxpayer. Is that a fair assessment?
18 MR. NOVAK: No, I don't agree with the
19 way you characterize it because the $27,000 state
20 auto tax reimbursement, I would expect since it is
21 law, it's still currently the law, my conjecture
22 would be that we would probably receive at least
23 the first payment, maybe the second payment.
24 Maybe the Legislature, in their wisdom, will, you
25 know, keep that in place for the fire districts
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1 and cities and towns. Now, if they don't, and we
2 get, say, half of that money, I would expect the
3 FEMA reimbursement will more than make up the
4 $27,000. In addition to that, I just explained,
5 we just received or will receive within thirty
6 days, $50,000 from the Office of Air Resources in
7 the form of a grant that, you know, the incoming
8 board maybe with their infinite wisdom can
9 creatively use the $50,000 to keep our tax
10 increase to a minimum. So, my prediction at this
11 point would be to the taxpayers here that if you
12 support this budget of $547,000, at most you would
13 be looking at a 6 cent tax increase, and I might
14 add last year we looked at 2 cents, which was
15 around 1.9 percent. The year before, it was a 3
16 percent increase, and we did do projections when
17 we were proposing to build this station. The
18 treasurer had extensive sets of projections; and
19 in one of those years, there was a bump in our
20 budget of, a sizeable bump, of five to six
21 percent. Well, here we are. We've got the new
22 station. We've got the mortgage. We've got
23 maintenance bills because of this station. We
24 have health care expenses. We want to give
25 service from 6 P.M. to 6 A.M. We made all kinds
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1 of cuts to the budget, looking at every cent where
2 we could cut it, and here we are. We're in the
3 year that's going to cost us some money, okay.
4 So, I don't know how else I can explain this.
5 MR. MAYES: Thank you. We wandered
6 around that, but thank you.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: Any other questions on
8 the budget. The gentleman over here.
9 MR. JACKSON: Ken Jackson. Isn't it also
10 possible, I hope not, where we could get 30 more
11 rescue calls a year, which would, if I'm
12 calculating correctly, between $15,000 and $21,000
13 recovery?
14 MR. NOVAK: That's -- well, probably. If
15 the number of rescue calls increase, we would have
16 additional monies and rescue recovery which is --
17 MR. JACKSON: Which could be borrowed.
18 MR. NOVAK: Yeah, but it's separate from
19 our operating budget. That really doesn't help us
20 lower the taxes.
21 MR. JACKSON: At least the FEMA money we
22 know is solid. I would feel, yes, they were
23 solid. So, okay, thank you.
24 MODERATOR BURNS: Anyone else? If not,
25 then you're ready to consider the next two
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1 resolutions in our agenda. Resolution Number 1,
2 that all actions taken by the officers and board
3 of directors of the Western Coventry Fire District
4 during the fiscal year ending February 28, 2010,
5 be ratified. Chair will ask for the motion --
6 Before you do that, can I get a motion on the
7 floor before you discuss how to pass the motion or
8 fail the motion? Is there a motion made? Do I
9 have a motion?
10 AUDIENCE MEMBER: So moved.
11 MODERATOR BURNS: So moved. Is there a
12 second?
13 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Second.
14 MODERATOR BURNS: So moved and
15 seconded --
16 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Mr. Moderator?
17 MODERATOR BURNS: Yes?
18 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Can we speak on the
19 motion?
20 MODERATOR BURNS: Yes.
21 MR. PENDERGRAPH: Claude Pendergraph, 175
22 Waterman Hill Road, Greene. I make a motion to
23 amend the resolution to ratify actions taken by
24 the fire district officers and board of directors
25 during the fiscal year ending February 28, 2010,
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1 be amended to add the following: Except for the
2 board of directors' actions terminating the fire
3 district standard administrative procedures and
4 their actions authorizing the purchase or lease of
5 a new fire truck without voter approval.
6 AUDIENCE MEMBER: I'll second that.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: We have an amendment to
8 the main motion. The procedure will be to discuss
9 the amendment, vote on the amendment, then vote on
10 the resolution as amended or as not amended.
11 Please keep your discussions to the amendment.
12 Anyone wish to speak on the amendment? Anyone
13 wish to speak on the amendment?
14 MR. MAYES: For those of you wondering
15 what these amendments are all about or why, there
16 are two points. One is last summer the board in
17 its infinite wisdom canceled all the written
18 administrative procedures that the district had
19 operated on for many years. They are in the
20 process now of rewriting them. We have, for
21 several months, operated as a district without the
22 written approved, board approved, standard
23 administrative procedures, which is, in my humble
24 opinion, just ludicrous. The second had to do
25 with the fire truck. My opinion, and my opinion
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1 only, I don't think that, from my personal view,
2 that it's a matter of buying the truck or not, but
3 the process that was used to buy the truck.
4 Nothing to do with whether we needed a new truck,
5 but everything to do with coming to the taxpayers
6 and saying, hey, we need a new truck, we want you
7 to approve it as we've done with virtually every
8 major purchase since 1943. That's the essence of
9 what that would approve or the amendment would
10 appear to address.
11 MODERATOR BURNS: Any other discussion on
12 the amendment?
13 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: Earlier this evening,
14 you heard my comment that the district had 45
15 SAP's, standard administrative procedures. They
16 very well may have had them, 45 of them were never
17 approved. Most of them were in a draft format.
18 And all of them were out of date a few months
19 back. So, the decision was made to sunset all of
20 these SAP's and use them as guides in preparation
21 of the new SAP's, and that's what took place.
22 They didn't get thrown in the barrel. We used
23 them as guides in the interim. And as I said,
24 every single one was out of date and needed
25 review, some of them dating back to 2001.
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1 Now, I made the statement earlier about
2 that we had since restored 15 of the SAP's. I
3 would say that I don't know if the district, in
4 the last ten years, ever had 15 approved SAP's all
5 at one time that were all active. So, we do now.
6 And you have a committee that meets monthly, and
7 we've been tackling three to four SAP's monthly.
8 Now, one -- well, two of the SAP's I remember
9 working on -- we even have an SAP on how to
10 prepare SAP's also. That's interesting. But two
11 SAP's in particular I would like to mention,
12 duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of
13 the chief, that's one of them. The other one was
14 with the deputy chief.
15 I'll just stick with the ones with the
16 chief, but the original SAP, whatever the vintage
17 was of that, one of the -- in the hiring procedure
18 in that, there's no longer a hiring procedure in
19 that SAP. The district needs to generate the
20 hiring procedure, but one of the things that the
21 chief would have been exposed to, any chief that
22 they may hire, is that would be that that chief
23 would have to take a test of the board's choosing,
24 a test of the board's choosing. Now, what the
25 heck is that? Take the SAT's or PSAT's or are we
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1 going to get into a English type test. I mean you
2 hire somebody for a chief. They come in with all
3 kinds of credentials, Firefighter I, Firefighter
4 II, EMT cardiac, at least get one within 12 months
5 of employment. And Lord knows what else, but the
6 old SAP said in a test of the board's choosing. I
7 mean this isn't Chicago, Illinois, or, you know,
8 Boston, Massachusetts. I mean I found that
9 extremely offensive. You've got five members of
10 the board who in all likelihood are not
11 firefighters or EMT, maybe former, okay, and we're
12 going to pick a test? I don't know.
13 But, anyway, I can assure you that we do
14 have fifteen of them restored. Disciplinary
15 procedures, mileage reimbursement for official
16 travel, procurement procedures, Access to Public
17 Records Act, policy on harassment, equal
18 opportunity policy, district budgetary process;
19 and in relation to that and the budget, if I can
20 find it, but I have to admit that I was part and
21 parcel of the development of that SAP on district
22 budgetary process. So, now, in the SAP, we have
23 all kinds of new categories, okay. The percent --
24 the proposed budget, percent change from a
25 forecast, the dollar change from the forecast,
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1 percent change from the old budget, the dollar
2 change from the old budget. So, I mean, we create
3 quite a web sometimes with the papers that we
4 generate. So, thank God, we only got the page and
5 a half that was in your packet. So, you know,
6 what we hang our hat on here is service to the
7 taxpayers, not being paper merchants.
8 MODERATOR BURNS: Jean, you had a
9 question?
10 MS. POMFRET: Was there a second to this
11 motion?
12 MODERATOR BURNS: Yes, there was.
13 MS. POMFRET: Who was the second --
14 AUDIENCE MEMBER: I seconded the motion.
15 MS. POMFRET: I'm sorry. I'm not done.
16 I had a question of the taxpayers. I want to
17 know -- Jean Pomfret, 6803 Flat River Road. I
18 just -- have there been any adverse effects of the
19 sunset -- of sunsetting the unproved or outdated
20 SAP'S?
21 MODERATOR BURNS: Is that a question to
22 the board?
23 MS. POMFRET: Yes, question to the board.
24 MODERATOR BURNS: The board want to
25 answer the question, is there any adverse effect
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1 of the sunsetting --
2 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: No.
3 MODERATOR BURNS: Answer is no.
4 MS. POMFRET: Thank you.
5 MODERATOR BURNS: Sir?
6 MR. RUSH: Paul Rush, 6502 Flat River
7 Road. I would like to call a point of order to
8 this amendment because this amendment deals with
9 two very distinctly different subjects, one, the
10 SAP, and, two, the purchase or the agreement that
11 we entered into about the fire truck. I think
12 these things should be done separately, if at all.
13 MODERATOR BURNS: Maker of the motion was
14 moved and seconded, right, for them together with
15 potentially reneg or very -- adversely affecting
16 the vote or not. He chose to put them together.
17 It makes it harder for you, the taxpayer.
18 MR. RUSH: That's right.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: Would the maker of the
20 original motion be willing to split these motions
21 into two parts for the satisfaction of the people?
22 Sir, you made the motion to make two specifics,
23 one not ratifying the acts of the board --
24 sunsetting the SAP's and, two, not ratifying the
25 actions of the board for the purchase of trucks.
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1 Would you be willing to reword that motion so we
2 can take it one at a time? Some people feel
3 that's cumbersome.
4 AUDIENCE MEMBER: No.
5 MODERATOR BURNS: Okay, sir, your motion
6 stands. We'll vote on the motion as it is. Is
7 there any discussion on the motion? There being
8 none, all those wishing to approve the amendment
9 to delete from the main motion the resolution that
10 approves the action of buying the truck or
11 extinguishing the SAP's, right, signify by saying
12 aye; those opposed to the registered modification
13 of the amendment certify by saying nay.
14 (VOICE VOTE)
15 MODERATOR BURNS: I'd ask for a show of
16 hands. I'd ask the tellers appointed earlier, one
17 teller this section, one teller that section, all
18 those in favor of the amendment, please raise your
19 hand.
20 (COUNT TAKEN)
21 MODERATOR BURNS: All those opposed to
22 the passage of the amendment, signify by raising
23 your hands.
24 (COUNT TAKEN)
25 MR. GORHAM: This is no need to take a
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1 negative if there's a vote --
2 MODERATOR BURNS: Sir, you are out of
3 order. We're in the middle of counting the votes.
4 All those opposed to the motion will raise their
5 hands.
6 (COUNT TAKEN)
7 MODERATOR BURNS: The motion now reads
8 the resolution, one, that all actions taken by the
9 officers and board of directors of the Western
10 Coventry Fire District during the fiscal year
11 ending February 28, 2010, be ratified with the
12 exception of the actions with regard to the SAP's
13 and the purchase of the fire truck. Is that the
14 intent of your motion, sir?
15 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yes, sir.
16 MODERATOR BURNS: Okay. Any comment on
17 the motion as amended?
18 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Does it have to be
19 written on the ticket?
20 MODERATOR BURNS: We can take a hand vote
21 much quicker, ma'am.
22 MR. JACKSON: Can I ask you, did we just
23 vote not to buy a new truck?
24 MODERATOR BURNS: No, we did not. We
25 just voted not to ratify the actions of the board.
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1 MR. JACKSON: So nobody's going to be
2 suing the town?
3 MODERATOR BURNS: Is there any discussion
4 on the motion as amended? There being none, since
5 you're ready to vote, all those in favor of
6 Resolution 1 as amended will signify by saying
7 aye; opposed nay.
8 (VOICE VOTE)
9 MODERATOR BURNS: The ayes have it.
10 Motion carries. Resolution 2, ladies and
11 gentlemen -- Mr. Gorham, you're talking when I'm
12 talking. Resolution 2 -- Resolution 2 that a
13 direct -- fire district operating budget $547,421
14 be adopted for the fiscal year March 1, 2010, to
15 February 28, 2011. The Chair will ask for a
16 motion to that effect? Gentleman over here, state
17 your name.
18 MR. JACKSON: Ken Jackson.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: Is there a second to
20 the motion.
21 CHIEF POMFRET: Second.
22 MR. GUASTINI: Mr. Moderator, my name is
23 Bob Guastini, Robert, 861 Perry Hill Road, Greene,
24 Rhode Island, past member of this board, resigned
25 a couple of months ago. Prior to resigning -- let
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1 me preface this, please. I've got to give this
2 board credit. They took the $520,000 budget that
3 we had, and they did another budget.
4 Congratulations. Good job. I will also tell you
5 that these volunteers are great people. Great
6 people. Every one of them do their job. A few
7 years back, I had a heart attack, and it was the
8 volunteers that saved my life. So, I know how
9 hard they work, and we are surrounded, by the way,
10 with a lot of volunteers in Foster, in Western --
11 in Connecticut and in West Greenwich. They're
12 volunteers, and they respond, and congratulations
13 to them as well. But prior to leaving the board
14 in my last meeting, at a meeting we had, I asked
15 to hold the budget, not increase the budget. I
16 think the Chairman will remember that. So, I have
17 a resolution here and I'll hand it to the clerk,
18 maybe.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: I move that the
20 resolution made to adopt the 2010-2011 fire
21 district operating budget be amended to the voter
22 approved 2009-2010 operating budget of $520,833.
23 Bob Guastini, you move -- you made that motion?
24 MR. GUASTINI: I do. I move that motion.
25 MODERATOR BURNS: As an amendment to the
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1 main motion. Is there a second?
2 MR. BONAND: Second.
3 MODERATOR BURNS: Gentleman over here
4 made the second. What's your name?
5 MR. BONAND: Eric Bonand, B-O-N-A-N-D.
6 MR. GUASTINI: That's all I have to say.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: We have a motion made
8 and seconded to amend the budget to a level of
9 last year's budget effective.
10 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: Now, the hours we've
11 spent preparing this and so on and so forth, I
12 respectfully ask this last gentleman to come back
13 and explain his rationale in detail.
14 MR. GUASTINI: Through you,
15 Mr. Moderator, to the Chairman. You've got
16 $27,000 here in anticipated revenue from the State
17 of Rhode Island for vehicles, for the vehicle
18 distribution. The Governor has already said, I
19 heard him several times say we're not going to
20 give you that. You're also looking at a
21 possibility of $50,000 that you said may be
22 available or will be coming that we're guaranteed
23 we're going to get. So what's the big deal? So,
24 if you've got a problem downstream, you can always
25 call a special meeting with 20 people and say
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1 we've really got a problem, let's try to work it
2 out. That's my rationale.
3 MR. GORHAM: I just want to address a
4 procedural issue, if I may, Mr. Moderator, without
5 you threatening to throw me out. Can I do that?
6 MODERATOR BURNS: Absolutely, sir.
7 MR. GORHAM: Thank you. Before we take a
8 vote on any affirmative motion in this room, we
9 should get a count of the people in the room
10 because that way you know how many votes it's
11 going to take for a majority; and as I understand
12 the state law, and correct me if I'm wrong,
13 Mr. Solicitor, but as I understand state law, at a
14 financial meeting such as this, it takes an
15 affirmative vote of those in attendance, a
16 majority of those in attendance in order for any
17 motion to carry. I tried to raise that when you
18 threatened to throw me out last time, but that's
19 the law as I understand it. I think it's a point
20 worth noting because what could happen is this,
21 you could have less than a majority voting for
22 something; and even fewer voting against and
23 you're going to declare that it passed, but it
24 didn't according to the law and this has happened
25 before. We've had problems with votes in this
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1 district.
2 MODERATOR BURNS: I think we've had
3 problems with votes in the state.
4 MR. GORHAM: Well, let's try to fix it.
5 Let's try to fix it tonight.
6 MODERATOR BURNS: I understand. The
7 procedure that's set up by law, right, is the
8 moderator rules on the vote. If someone calls for
9 a show of hands, if someone calls for a paper
10 ballot, they can override it, right? That's the
11 procedure that's been followed right from the
12 day --
13 MR. GORHAM: I'll not suggesting to
14 change any of that. You can count the votes by
15 hand, by people saying aye, you can do it by
16 having people bark, okay. It doesn't matter. You
17 have to have, if somebody calls for a show of
18 hands for a counting of the vote, anything beyond
19 a verbal vote, you have to know how many people
20 are in the room in order for you, Mr. Moderator,
21 to ascertain whether, in fact, a majority has been
22 voted. And you've been ignoring that. I'm just
23 bringing it to your attention. And, again,
24 Mr. Solicitor, if I'm wrong, please correct me.
25 MR. HARSCH: I would, if you were wrong.
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1 MR. GORHAM: If I was wrong. Thank you.
2 Let's do it right.
3 MR. JACKSON: Ken Jackson. Okay, I've
4 got to ask the question. $50,000 doesn't count
5 because it was after the draft of this budget; am
6 I correct? Theoretically, the budget you're
7 presenting is $547,000. So, if we take a budget
8 of $520,033, I think that's the figure, what will
9 we have to cut immediately, the 6 to 6, cut the
10 payroll for the firefighters, and by the way
11 rescues is -- what else will we have to cut out
12 immediately because that 50,000 is not in this
13 budget. It cannot be counted. The FEMA, too.
14 MR. NOVAK: I believe the board, in their
15 deliberations in April or May, could decide what
16 to do with that $50,000 before we set the tax rate
17 in August. As far as what cuts that we would have
18 to make to take roughly $27,000 out of this
19 budget, I would leave that to the infinite wisdom
20 of the board that meets in April, since the
21 present members of the board apparently delivered
22 something that wasn't balanced.
23 MR. JACKSON: You're saying that we know
24 we're going to spend -- we're going to go into
25 excess money to keep the 18 hours roughly or 84
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1 hours a week, we're going to do that, we're going
2 to pay the firefighters, we're going to spend at a
3 rate of 547,000 but we're approving 520,000.
4 MR. NOVAK: I didn't say that.
5 MR. JACKSON: No, no, no, I'm trying the
6 understand.
7 MR. NOVAK: The logic?
8 MR. JACKSON: Yes.
9 MR. NOVAK: I don't understand their
10 logic. I understand your logic. I don't
11 understand the other logic.
12 MR. JACKSON: So, if you really think
13 about it, if we want to take a $520,000 budget, we
14 should cut back $27,000 worth of service; am I
15 right?
16 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: You've got to cut 27,000
17 somewhere.
18 MR. JACKSON: Okay. Thank you.
19 MR. NOVAK: I don't know where.
20 MR. SMITH: Chuck Smith, 203 Weaver Hill
21 Road. In reference to the $50,000 grant, the
22 taxpayers just voted down the truck. So, with the
23 truck being voted down, you will not get that
24 $50,000 grant.
25 MR. UNDERWOOD: The truck hasn't been
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1 voted down.
2 MR. SMITH: I was going to say, in order
3 for the truck to pass, to get the 50,000, you have
4 to get the truck.
5 MODERATOR BURNS: Gentleman over here.
6 MR. BELMORE: Brian Belmore.
7 Mr. Moderator, I'd just like to point out that
8 people have voted and left on both of these
9 resolutions.
10 MODERATOR BURNS: I haven't called for a
11 vote, any vote over there --
12 MR. BELMORE: Any votes that are in there
13 now don't count?
14 MODERATOR BURNS: No.
15 MR. BELMORE: So, for the first
16 resolution, you're saying for the first
17 resolution, those votes don't count. So, I'm
18 requesting that for Resolution 2, we do a paper
19 vote.
20 MODERATOR BURNS: We can use a paper
21 ballot if you so desire.
22 MR. BELMORE: Just so those people that
23 left, I think that means their vote counts.
24 MR. MAYES: Skip Mayes. Just to
25 clarify -- just to clarify, Mr. Smith is
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1 misinformed regarding that last motion, the last
2 resolution. Mr. Smith would have you believe that
3 you voted the fire truck down. You did not vote
4 the fire truck down. You merely said you didn't
5 allow the board to -- or the taxpayers were not
6 going to allow the board to have that vote
7 ratified. The truck is still a viable fire truck,
8 and this taxpayer fully supports that fire truck,
9 and I'm sure that most of you folks do as well.
10 Pure and simple, this procedure, you did not vote
11 that truck down in that last resolution.
12 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you, Mr. Mayes.
13 MS. POMFRET: If I could speak as a
14 taxpayer. Jean Pomfret, 6803 Flat River Road. If
15 you didn't vote the truck down, now I'm guessing
16 what you want is a public vote on that. What if
17 it gets voted down then?
18 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Then I guess you don't
19 have a truck.
20 MS. POMFRET: And not only that, if I'm
21 not mistaken, Western Coventry Fire District then
22 gets sued for breach of contract. So -- so
23 then what? Then what happens to your tax rating
24 based on that money for breach of contract?
25 MODERATOR BURNS: It's a point made, well
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1 made.
2 MS. POMFRET: Can I make a motion? I --
3 MODERATOR BURNS: I have a motion on the
4 floor.
5 MS. POMFRET: All right.
6 MODERATOR BURNS: Motion on the floor is
7 to reduce the budget to last year's level.
8 CHIEF POMFRET: I just want to point out
9 use caution with this budget. I can assure you,
10 this was my point earlier, you're willing to
11 compromise your safety for, I don't know, $27,000.
12 I'll guarantee you the first 911 call that comes
13 from one of the people sitting in the audience and
14 we don't respond because people aren't here to
15 cover the shift, you're going to come down here
16 jumping up and down screaming. Don't come
17 knocking on my door. Thank you.
18 MODERATOR BURNS: Young lady in the back.
19 MS. HUDSON: Paula Hudson, 81 Franklin
20 Road. I just want to clarify, did the fire chief
21 just say that if the budget gets voted down, and I
22 am in favor of the budget by the way, but that you
23 won't respond?
24 MODERATOR BURNS: His message was the
25 first time someone is not here, they don't
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1 respond --
2 MS. HUDSON: I'm just asking for
3 clarification of what he meant.
4 CHIEF POMFRET: That's correct. Right
5 now we have guaranteed coverage 20 hours of the
6 24-hour day. If the budget is compromised, we may
7 lose that option.
8 MS. HUDSON: I just wanted to clarify it
9 again just to make it known I think that a 5.1
10 percent increase to the budget is not that big of
11 a deal to me as a taxpayer, and I think that the
12 board that's in place, and the future boards work
13 very hard to do their job, and I also think that
14 our fire personnel in the fire district work very
15 hard to do their job, but just because we're here
16 asking questions doesn't mean that they want to
17 compromise the safety of this district. It just
18 means we're having our right to ask questions.
19 CHIEF POMFRET: We just want to continue
20 to work hard. I wish I could guarantee we're
21 going to get the truck out the door without the
22 people here in the station. There is no
23 guarantee. We've been there before. You heard
24 comments from previous people.
25 MODERATOR BURNS: Lady on this end,
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1 please step up to the microphone. Ma'am, you're
2 next.
3 MS. POMFRET: Alicia Pomfret, 1677 Maple
4 Valley Road. Usually, I'm pretty loud. It's
5 Alicia Pomfret, 1677 Maple Valley Road. The
6 amendment before us takes the budget back down
7 from the 547 to 520, which looks approximately
8 similar to the auto tax, 27,000 a year, and maybe
9 Scott can correct me if I'm wrong but my
10 understanding is if we don't bring in the car tax
11 revenue, that fire districts will still be able to
12 generate a sales tax revenue on the automobiles,
13 even though it's repealed. So, maybe, Scott, if
14 you can confirm that for me.
15 MODERATOR BURNS: Excuse me, I think what
16 she's trying to tell you is that when the state
17 gave us fire district funds for not taxing the
18 cars, they took away our right to tax cars. And
19 what she's alluding to, it's not fact. It's not
20 law, but if they drop that stipulation, they're
21 going to give us money. They may give us the
22 opportunity to levy a tax on those cars when we
23 haven't been able to. It's more work for the tax
24 assessor, but it's doable. It's nothing set in
25 concrete because we don't know what the
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1 Legislature is going to do. Young lady over here.
2 MS. LAVOIE: Kathleen Lavoie, 275 Bowen
3 Hill Road, Greene, Rhode Island. Hearing the
4 microphone is not good in back. Maybe if the
5 chief had stood, you had asked him to stand, we
6 wouldn't have to have that clarified.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you very much.
8 Gentleman over here.
9 MR. JACKSON: Ken Jackson. Chief, what
10 is the delay time if this station doesn't answer
11 or any station doesn't answer in the town; is it 7
12 minutes?
13 CHIEF POMFRET: If you're lucky. We had
14 two calls, we did it, me and the board Chairman
15 did a study, an analysis, so to speak. We had two
16 calls, one on a Thursday and one on a Friday, we
17 had a call about one in the morning. Both of
18 these calls, first of all, were -- we had a call,
19 infant having difficulty breathing. The crew was
20 in-house. It was one o'clock in the morning, 1:30
21 in the morning, the crew got out the door with
22 less than two minutes, that crew was on the road.
23 It took, I believe, another 6 to 7 minutes to get
24 on scene. According to the American Heart
25 Association, irreversible brain damage begins 6
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1 minutes into the call. We were on the scene in
2 approximately 8 minutes. The next day we received
3 a call between a hard shift, when the daytime
4 staff goes home, there's a 2-hour lag time when
5 that next shift comes in. We received a call at
6 that hour. It took 13 minutes to get the rescue
7 out the door, respond to the same neighborhood,
8 another 7 minutes to get on scene. So, there's
9 twenty minutes from the time the 911 dispatcher
10 received the call, we were on scene, it was twenty
11 minutes. Now, let's reverse the role. Would that
12 kid, if that child had been a little baby and we
13 responded after 20 minutes, would that baby have
14 made it home from the hospital? I don't think
15 so --
16 MR. JACKSON: But if I remember right, if
17 a station doesn't respond in the 7 minutes, you
18 call another station, which is farther away. So,
19 that's even worse. So for $27,000, we're putting
20 the handcuffs on you.
21 CHIEF POMFRET: You're putting a price on
22 your own head is what I'm trying to tell you. Is
23 your life worth more than $27,000? God damn it,
24 mine is.
25 MR. JACKSON: I will tell you that my two
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1 grandchildren are.
2 MODERATOR BURNS: Sir?
3 MR. GUASTINI: I get a little confused
4 because one time you're talking about a truck, one
5 time you're talking about a rescue. Bob Guastini,
6 861 Perry Hill Road, Greene. We still have a
7 period of time out of 24 hours that is not
8 covered. Am I correct, Chief?
9 CHIEF POMFRET: That's correct. As I
10 stated, we cover 20 of the 24 --
11 MR. GUASTINI: What happens in the 4
12 hours that's not covered; we're going to be
13 responsible for that, too?
14 CHIEF POMFRET: Is who responsible?
15 MR. GUASTINI: We've been doing volunteer
16 rescue since 1943, '43, and, yeah, we probably
17 lost a few, but we saved a hell of a lot.
18 MODERATOR BURNS: Gentleman in the back.
19 MR. AUTIERI: Steve Autieri, 581 Victory
20 Highway. My question to all of you tonight is how
21 many lives have been saved since we started this 6
22 to 6 duty crew? All these calls that we get,
23 we're out the door in no time at all. We're on
24 scene at no time at all. You're getting
25 guaranteed, guaranteed life support coverage. 90
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1 percent of the time, you're guaranteed to get two
2 people who are certified firefighters on that
3 piece of fire apparatus. If that's my house, I
4 want the most quality people there. So, that's --
5 I mean that's what I say to you. I don't know how
6 you can put a life on these things or you can make
7 a decision to take that away. You know, you're
8 pulling the truck away from us, you're doing all
9 this other stuff. However you choose to vote is
10 how you choose to vote, but think about our
11 safety, too.
12 MS. LAMOUREUX: Lori May Hudson
13 Lamoureux, 35 Franklin Road. I think we're losing
14 the point here. We're not saying you can't have
15 your truck. We're not saying we don't want the
16 rescues and we don't want the people. Believe me,
17 the first time in my life I had to have a rescue,
18 I was glad they were there. However, times are
19 hard. Are you telling us that if you don't get a
20 raise or if this budget doesn't pass, that's where
21 they cut it, that you're not going to do your job
22 anymore? Okay. We have to learn to spend within
23 our means, and right now in this district is only
24 520,000 we can afford, then that's it. We need
25 extra, we have to -- everybody has to find a way
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1 to get it. A lot of us don't get raises anymore.
2 So, I'm all for the new truck. Believe me, I grew
3 up in this town all my life, my father before me,
4 his father before him, my great-grandfather. My
5 daughter was a fifth generation in this town. So,
6 we appreciate everything that the firefighters do
7 for us. The main point here is that we don't --
8 not that we don't want you to have the truck, it's
9 how you went about it. That's the bottom line.
10 You can have all the equipment you want to save
11 us, but this is a volunteer district, and you have
12 to do it appropriately. That's the way it works
13 and that's the way it's worked in this town for
14 over a hundred years.
15 CHIEF POMFRET: I just want to clarify
16 one thing. Having a night shift guarantees you
17 ALS coverage. When we're on a volunteer shift,
18 you may get BLS covered. You're not going to get
19 drugs, you're not going to get an IV, you're not
20 going to get the heart monitor. You're basically
21 going to be put on oxygen and get a taxi ride to
22 the hospital. If we take away the guaranteed ALS
23 shift, you're also going to have a reduction in
24 the rescue recovery funds. A BLS cost around an
25 average of $600; ALS we're getting $1,200. You're
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1 probably going to lose half your money in rescue
2 recovery. Is that worth the 20,000 -- $27,000
3 difference? It's not a money situation, people,
4 is really isn't.
5 MODERATOR BURNS: I'm going to give this
6 gentleman, Mr. Novak, a chance to put something in
7 front of you.
8 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: I'd just like to revisit
9 the -- what the taxpayers did do back on April 7,
10 2003, and it was a "resolution for" and at least
11 that's what I call it, a resolution for, resolved
12 that the board of directors -- that the board of
13 directors be empowered to spend rescue recovery
14 funds on capital equipment in direct support of
15 the fire and EMS operations of the fire
16 department, and these funds are not to be applied
17 to balance the annual budget. This resolution
18 will expand the use of these funds to cover
19 capital purchases supporting for fire service as
20 well as the rescue. And it's very clear that the
21 board of directors is mentioned here in this
22 resolution. It can't be plainer than that, okay.
23 And the board, in my view, had a duty to act in a
24 timely manner. Life safety, et. cetera, et.
25 cetera, and shame on us for doing our job. Jobs
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1 that we were elected to do by the taxpayers, and
2 following their explicit direction.
3 MODERATOR BURNS: Ladies and gentlemen,
4 is there someone else wishing to speak? Gentleman
5 over there had his hand up earlier.
6 MR. HUMBLE: John Humble, 6189 Flat River
7 Road. With regards to that resolution, my
8 interpretation of that is that the taxpayers
9 agreed that those funds would be put aside for not
10 only rescue, but also fire apparatus needs, but
11 then when it comes time to spend that money, the
12 taxpayers didn't give up their right to have some
13 say in the selection of what that money is spent
14 on. Now --
15 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Point of order, Mr.
16 Moderator. That could be restricted to the budget
17 items.
18 MODERATOR BURNS: It would be nice, but
19 I've been accused of threatening to throw somebody
20 out.
21 MR. HUMBLE: Okay. I agree with you a
22 hundred percent. The issue here is what the
23 bottom line budget is, not whether somebody should
24 get paid. We are wanting, a good majority of the
25 people here, several people here, would like to
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1 see the number reduced, but the department and the
2 board, I should say the board, has the right to
3 decide what items get cut, and we are not saying
4 that the truck should be eliminated from the
5 future expenditures. Thank you.
6 MODERATOR BURNS: Ladies and gentlemen,
7 we can beat this up all night long. Has anybody
8 got any idea of reconciliation? Chair will
9 entertain a reconciliation. We have to move the
10 question. The motion's made and seconded to move
11 the question. Moving the question means we cease
12 debate and is not debateable. If we cease debate,
13 then we will have to vote on the question. Right.
14 The first thing we have to do is vote on the
15 motion to move the question. All those in favor
16 of the motion to move the question, signify by
17 saying aye. Opposed nay.
18 (VOICE VOTE)
19 MODERATOR BURNS: The ayes have it
20 without a count. Now, you are voting on the
21 amendment. The amendment says that you will
22 reduce the budget. You're voting to reduce the
23 budget from $540,000 to $520,000. There is no
24 further debate. All those in favor signify by
25 saying aye; opposed nay.
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1 (VOICE VOTE)
2 MODERATOR BURNS: The ayes have it.
3 Chair stands to be called. No call, the motion
4 fails -- motion passes. Motion is now --
5 operating budget will be $520,000. We're now
6 voting on the main motion as amended. The main
7 motion as amended says that we will vote on 500 --
8 the operating budget for the year will be 520,833
9 for the fiscal year March 1, 2010, to February 28,
10 2011.
11 MS. POMFRET: Can I make a motion that it
12 goes --
13 MODERATOR BURNS: You can ask for -- this
14 vote will be called by a show of hands. Same
15 tellers will prevail. Everybody will stay in
16 their areas. If you're voting for it, you're
17 voting for a budget decrease.
18 AUDIENCE MEMBER: I'd like to request a
19 secret ballot.
20 MODERATOR BURNS: I can rule that out of
21 order for lack of a second. I'm going to call
22 again by show of hands, all right, those in favor
23 of adopting the fire district operating budget of
24 $520,833 will signify by raising your hand.
25 Tellers count.
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1 (COUNT TAKEN)
2 MODERATOR BURNS: All those opposed raise
3 your hand.
4 (COUNT TAKEN)
5 MODERATOR BURNS: The motion passes, 63
6 to 25.
7 AUDIENCE MEMBER: I make a motion to
8 adjourn.
9 MODERATOR BURNS: Is there a motion to
10 adjourn?
11 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Second.
12 MODERATOR BURNS: We voted on the
13 resolution --
14 MODERATOR BURNS: We have a motion made
15 and duly seconded to adjourn. Would the maker and
16 the second stand up, please. Stand up.
17 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Mr. Moderator, I make a
18 motion to withdraw.
19 MODERATOR BURNS: You withdraw your
20 motion. Second withdraws. The man who made the
21 motion to adjourn withdrew his motion.
22 MODERATOR BURNS: Any further business to
23 come before the body? Sir?
24 MR. RANDALL: Earl Randall, 252 Log
25 Bridge Road. I make a motion that the total
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1 allocation, expenditure, and/or commitment of fire
2 district rescue recovery funds greater than 2
3 percent of the voter approved operating budget
4 during any given fiscal year be approved by the
5 district voters.
6 MR. GORHAM: Second.
7 MODERATOR BURNS: For those of you that
8 didn't hear it, and if you can't hear me, sound
9 off. I make a motion that the total allocation
10 expenditure and/or commitment of the fire district
11 rescue recovery funds greater than 2 percent of
12 the voter approved operating budget during any
13 given fiscal year be approved by district votes.
14 What you're saying is anytime you want to spend
15 more than 2 percent of the rescue recovery funds,
16 they have to come before -- the district voters
17 have to vote on it. Does everyone understand the
18 motion? Before they can spend more than 2 percent
19 of rescue recovery, they've got to come before
20 you. Anytime they want to spend more than 2
21 percent more than the total budget of rescue and
22 recovery, they have to come before you.
23 CHAIRMAN NOVAK: The motion from Earl
24 Randall, I make a motion that the total allocation
25 expenditure and/or commitment of fire district
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1 recovery funds greater than 2 percent of the voter
2 approved operating budget during any given fiscal
3 year be approved by district voters. So, the
4 interpretation, my interpretation, would be that 2
5 percent of, say, the $520,000 would be roughly
6 $10,000. So, based on this motion, we would have
7 come to the voters if the expenditure was more
8 than 2 percent or roughly $10,000, okay. The
9 funds -- the expenditure would come from the fire
10 district rescue recovery funds. At least, that's
11 my interpretation of what he wrote or someone
12 wrote.
13 MODERATOR BURNS: Mr. Randall, I just
14 want to make sure the voters are clear on your
15 motion. You're saying that roughly no more than
16 $10,000 can be spent from rescue recovery without
17 coming before the voters; 2 percent of the
18 operating budget? The operating budget goes up,
19 the 2 percent goes up. Is everybody clear on
20 that? Because we'd like to know what we're voting
21 on, what we're asking you to vote on.
22 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Pretty common sense
23 what he read.
24 MODERATOR BURNS: Sir, you have a
25 question?
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1 MR. HEVEY: Robert Hevey, 607 Weaver Hill
2 Road. Mr. Moderator, since we have legal
3 representation, could we have legal representation
4 provide us an interpretation of the words so that
5 we're not interpreting them ourselves.
6 MR. HARSCH: In answer to your question,
7 the way in which this should be calculated, in my
8 opinion, is that you would take the figure
9 representing 2 percent of the voter approved
10 operating budget, and the operating budget that's
11 before this meeting at this point is $520,000.
12 So, you take that figure, 2 percent of 520,000,
13 and you limit the board's capability to utilize
14 funds in the rescue recovery fund to that amount.
15 Is that clear?
16 MODERATOR BURNS: Thank you. Discussion
17 on the motion?
18 AUDIENCE MEMBER: May I ask one question.
19 That 2 percent limiting the board to spend that
20 money is only without the voter approval up to 2
21 percent. Anything more than 2 percent of the
22 budget has to come from the voters of the district
23 for approval?
24 MR. HARSCH: That is correct. That's the
25 way the resolution reads.
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1 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Okay.
2 MS. POMFRET: Jean Pomfret, 6803 Flat
3 River Road. So, is the wish that if they want to
4 spend over $10,000, that whatever the item is,
5 gets held over to the next annual meeting, which
6 could cause -- let me finish my question. Or does
7 this have to be held over to the next annual
8 meeting, or does it require a special meeting
9 with, you know, advertisements and a stenographer
10 and council president, the extent of that, that's
11 my question.
12 MODERATOR BURNS: It has to have the
13 approval of the district voters. Whether the
14 board chooses to wait for the annual meeting or
15 have a special meeting, it's their choice. Okay.
16 But they have to ask it.
17 MR. NOVAK: Point of order. My point of
18 order in regard to the motion is that the public
19 has not received due notice of this motion or
20 action or request limiting the expenditure of
21 funds from the Rescue recovery. So, this was not
22 advertised on the Secretary of State's web site,
23 nor in our agenda. We have two distinct
24 resolutions here. I feel the motion should be out
25 of order based on not giving the taxpayers proper
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1 notice.
2 MODERATOR BURNS: Excuse me, I have to
3 rule on the point of order. It's well within the
4 parameters of a district meeting to set limits,
5 set budget, set tax allocations. It's your
6 budget. All right. And I would rule the Chairman
7 does not have a valid point of order. Motion
8 stands. All those in favor of the motion limiting
9 the use of rescue recovery funds to 2 percent of
10 the operating budget without voter approval will
11 signify by saying aye; opposed nay.
12 (VOICE VOTE)
13 MODERATOR BURNS: Ayes have it. Motion
14 carries. We have a motion to adjourn?
15 MR. ARNOLD: Henry Arnold, Narrow Lane,
16 Greene, Rhode Island.
17 MODERATOR BURNS: Can everyone hear him?
18 Sound off.
19 MR. ARNOLD: Henry Arnold, Narrow Lane,
20 Greene, Rhode Island. I would like to make the
21 following motion: Resolve that the district
22 treasurer be authorized to make a fire apparatus
23 lease payment of $120,500 in May 2010 from the
24 rescue recovery funds.
25 MR. GUASTINI: I'll second it.
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1 MODERATOR BURNS: Would you give your
2 name, sir.
3 MR. GUASTINI: Robert Guastini.
4 MODERATOR BURNS: The motion on the
5 floor, resolve that the district treasurer be
6 authorized to make a fire apparatus lease payment
7 of $120,500 in May 2010 from the rescue recovery
8 funds. Ladies and gentlemen, do you understand
9 the motion? Any discussion?
10 MR. RUSH: Paul Rush. If we pass this
11 motion, does that mean that each subsequent annual
12 meeting, we're going to have to have the same
13 motion, or did we just drop having the truck all
14 of a sudden? I mean, we're only making a motion
15 to pay one payment. What about all the rest of
16 them?
17 MR. ARNOLD: The reason I'm limiting it
18 to one year is the following year, if there is
19 money available, we'll vote on it and do it again.
20 If the money isn't available, then you garnish
21 from something else.
22 MODERATOR BURNS: We have a motion. Go
23 ahead, Mr. Gorham.
24 MR. GORHAM: What effects will this have
25 on our tax rate?
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1 MODERATOR BURNS: It's coming from rescue
2 recovery funds.
3 MR. GORHAM: So, there's not -- so we're
4 going to have no tax increase this year because
5 the budget we voted on was the same as last year.
6 We're going to use only rescue recovery funds to
7 fund the lease of this truck; is that fair?
8 MR. UNDERWOOD: The budget last year had
9 $27,000. We don't know whether we're getting
10 that.
11 MR. GORHAM: So, let's assume the worst
12 that we don't. So, what happens then?
13 MR. UNDERWOOD: We have to make it up.
14 MR. GORHAM: But we would make it up
15 within the 520,000. I realize that would be
16 difficult, but you would be constrained to do that
17 unless you had another meeting to ask for more
18 taxes, right?
19 MR. UNDERWOOD: We didn't set the tax
20 rate.
21 MR. GORHAM: Right, but you're going to
22 set the tax rate based on the 520 that we approved
23 tonight. So, you'd have to have another meeting
24 to set another tax rate?
25 MODERATOR BURNS: No.
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1 MR. GORHAM: We'd have to have another
2 meeting to raise more money to pay for the lease.
3 MODERATOR BURNS: They like to know what
4 the Legislature is going to do before they set
5 their rate.
6 MR. UNDERWOOD: The lease is coming from
7 rescue recovery. That's definite funds. We have
8 the payment. We're not setting the tax rate
9 tonight.
10 MR. GORHAM: So, this isn't going to
11 result in a tax increase?
12 MODERATOR BURNS: Not necessarily. The
13 way the tax rate is calculated, if I can have
14 everybody's attention, the way the tax rate is
15 calculated, is they take the assessed valuation,
16 then determine what funds they have available and
17 how much they have to levy a tax for. If they
18 don't have the 27, they can put it into the levy.
19 MR. GORHAM: They could, even though we
20 approve it?
21 MODERATOR BURNS: If the 50,000 comes in,
22 they can't.
23 MR. GORHAM: Even though we approved an
24 operating budget of 520.
25 MODERATOR BURNS: They would still be
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1 stuck at 520. But they just would have a source
2 of funds they have to make up for it.
3 MR. GORHAM: Well, please don't raise our
4 taxes if the state doesn't come through. I don't
5 like to say it's going to come through. I really
6 don't. So, please don't raise our taxes. I'll
7 vote for the motion. Thank you.
8 MR. MAYES: Mr. Moderator, I beg your
9 indulgence because I explained earlier I'm not the
10 brightest bulb, but as I understand Mr. Arnold's
11 resolution, we're paying $120,000 for the lease
12 payment from rescue recovery that cost nothing to
13 the taxpayer. We've got money in the bank. I'll
14 ask the treasurer, what does your report show that
15 we have as a balance in rescue recovery?
16 MR. UNDERWOOD: We have a little over
17 160, and with the closeout of the station, it's
18 260.
19 MR. MAYES: But right today we have
20 enough to pay the 120. We don't have enough to
21 pay the whole boat?
22 MR. UNDERWOOD: Correct.
23 MR. MAYES: So, you're essentially --
24 we're essentially doing it the conservative way by
25 -- correctly, Mr. Arnold's approach, we're going
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1 to take it off in bite-sized morsels, like we're
2 going to eat the elephant in three bites instead
3 of one because we can't afford the one, or the
4 indigestion. So, I trust that that's at least an
5 explanation as I understand it.
6 MODERATOR BURNS: Yes, it is. Any
7 further discussion on the motion? All those in
8 favor of the motion that the district treasurer be
9 authorized to make the fire apparatus lease
10 payment of $120,000 in May 2010 from rescue
11 recovery funds will signify by saying aye;
12 opposed, nay.
13 (VOICE VOTE)
14 MODERATOR BURNS: The ayes have it
15 unanimously. Anything further to come before this
16 body? The Chair will entertain a motion to
17 adjourn.
18 AUDIENCE MEMBER: So moved.
19 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Second.
20 MODERATOR BURNS: The motion has been
21 made and duly seconded to adjourn. All those in
22 favor signify by saying aye; those opposed nay.
23 (VOICE VOTE)
24 MODERATOR BURNS: Ladies and gentlemen,
25 this meeting stands adjourned. I thank you very
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1 much.
2 (ADJOURNED AT 10:22 PM)
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1 C-E-R-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-E
2
I, RONALD M. RONZIO, Notary Public, do
3 hereby certify that I reported in shorthand the
foregoing proceedings, and that the foregoing
4 transcript contains a true, accurate, and complete
record of the proceedings at the above-entitled
5 hearing.
6 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set
my hand and seal this 28th day of April, 2010.
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________________________________________________
11 RONALD M. RONZIO, NOTARY PUBLIC/CERTIFIED COURT
REPORTER
12
13 MY COMMISSION EXPIRES: July 24, 2013
14 IN RE: Western Coventry Fire District Annual
Meeting
15
DATE: April 5, 2010
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