Town Manager Report for the week ending August 8, 2025
There was no update for the week ending August 1, 2025.
On Tuesday August 5 the Board of Canvassers held the Special Election for the 2 vacant seats in Districts 3 and 5. They used 2 polling locations, Maple Root Baptist Church for District 5 and Club Jogues for District 3. There was 1 candidate for each: Richard Houle for District 3 and Robert DeLellis for District 5. Once the results are certified the winners will be appointed/sworn in by the Town Clerk.
On Tuesday afternoon Town staff met to discuss our continued plans for the state’s RI250 Celebration that will go on until July 2026. We started our remembrance at our Summer Festival with the reading of the Proclamation on the beginning of the Semiquincentennial (250th) Anniversary of the American Revolution by a representative from the Nathanael Greene Homestead and topped it off by a cannon volley by the Pawtuxet Rangers. We are looking to incorporate some other forms of recognition as the year continues and may partner with bordering communities and the state.
Tuesday night we had our National Night Out with the Coventry Police Department at the Town Hall Annex. It was a tremendous success thanks to Officer Erica Braker and in partnership with the Central Coventry Fire Department, DPW, Cranston Police K-9, RISP, and the RI Search and Rescue Team. We were also able to include a Touch A Truck portion of the night with police vehicles, fire trucks, one of our new sanitation trucks, a tow truck, and a drone display. There were rides, games, food trucks, and a dunk tank. Thanks to Sgt. Jacavone and SRO Ferri for volunteering to get wet!!
On Thursday we had our 2nd Active Shooter/ALICE training for Town staff. Our certified police instructors led by Acting Chief Witt and SRO Ferri gave a tremendous presentation on ALICE- alert, lockdown, inform, counter, and evacuate that informed, educated, and supported staff during the presentation and answered all of their questions.
We met with our contractors, Fuss and O’Neill and CB Brito Construction along with Kent County Water to review the plans, verify points of contact, and get everyone on the same page as we look forward to the start of construction on the new high school sewer line to begin the last week of August. Once we have identified the start date and the route of the construction we will be communicating with the public, neighbors, and high school students to address any detours, road restrictions, delays, or closings as we anticipate this project lasting until the Spring of 2026.