“The five councilmen do not run this town as individuals – they run the town under the manager,” Spear said. “Before this council can do much, we need to make a determination as to a town manager – whether that is the present acting town manager or whether it is someone else – one of the first major tasks that has got to be fulfilled is a determination of who it is going to be.” Not until that position is filled can the council look into other details, issues and problems that exist, Spear said.
“One person can’t do about nine jobs,” agreed Shibley. “We need to establish a search committee and advertise and go through the interview process. It’s been way too long and not fair to anyone, especially not to the taxpayers of this town.”
Flanagan said she agreed as well. “I think we’re all on the same page in that we want to work as quickly and carefully as we can to identify the right person,” she said.
Cloutier said he shared the perspective of the incoming council members in identifying the importance of locating a town manager, but there are other issues that currently face the town.
“We have Centre of New England issues to deal with – we’ll be tackling them once we get a start,” Cloutier said. “There are folks in the Hopkins Hill condos that are currently getting assessed for sewers and there is a question of whether they should be and we are digging back in history about what we should be doing.”
Working with a Republican majority will be very different, Cloutier observed, but “I’m not a real political person, so, no matter what the majority is, I can still work with it.”
As the only Democrat on the council, Hyde said he is confident in his non-partisan outlook.
“I’m going to miss my fellow councilmen but am looking forward to new things,” he said. “On the past council, I’ve never alienated Kenneth and he’s never alienated me and I expect that will continue. It’s a new day in Coventry and I’m looking forward to this term on the council.”
While he did not mention the town manager search, Hyde said his priorities would be fiscal responsibility and cutting taxes.
“I want not only to hold the line on taxes but to bring reduced taxes to Coventry,” he said. “I’m going to fight for that and I just hope I work as good with the Republicans as they have with me in the past.”
Coventry Town Clerk Cheryl George said she expects the official swearing-in of the new council to take place on Monday, Nov. 24.
School Committee
HANNAH CLARKIN
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
COVENTRY — After their swearing in takes place next week, the new members of the Coventry School Committee say they would like to develop better communication and involvement with the public.
Elected on Nov. 4, Thomas Hetherman (District 1), Nancy Sprengelmeyer (District 4) and Lisa Tomasso (District 5) will join sitting members Katherine Patenaude and Andrew “Ben” Perra on the School Committee this month.
Tomasso, who ran in a special election to replace Donna Hayden, says that her campaigning process has better acquainted her with the needs and desires of her district.
She knocked on nearly 2500 doors this fall, Tomasso says, and about half the people answered. “They had lots of interesting and informative things to say about Coventry schools and I think it would be to the benefit of our school committee to incorporate their perspective as we move forward.”
These comments ranged from compliments about specific teachers to concerns about how to balance the budget, Tomasso says. “Many people are asking the same questions we’re asking ourselves about how we will maintain a quality education under Senate Bill 3050.”
Sharing these concerns and others would be “a good jumping off place for [the committee] to begin its discussion,” she says. “We can share the knowledge of members who have been on the committee and the findings of those of us who have been out there speaking to the community and bring that to the table.”
See COUNCIL, Page 4-A
Sprengelmeyer is new to the School Committee in District 4, but not new to the committee as a whole. She was appointed in June 2002 to fill a vacancy in District 3 and was elected that fall to serve through 2006. Because of a cross-town move, Sprengelmeyer says, she had to wait until now to run again.
As she comes to the committee, Sprengelmeyer says she hopes to reinstate the citizen’s forum — an avenue of communication that she initiated in 2003. “It’s simply an open forum for the public to come and give input to the school committee and we actually had formed some subcommittees where the public was able to work on issues that were important to them.”
Getting as much public involvement as possible is very important to her, Sprengelmeyer emphasizes. “I want all my constituents in district 4 to know that I am available to them and will be responsive to their input and any concerns they may have.”
In addition, she would like to join with the current school committee in seeking alternative funding sources, Sprengelmeyer says. Now that the school department may receive donations as a foundation, “I will continually look for grants and sources of funding to build our school system,” she says.
School Committee members are slated to be sworn in with the new town council on Monday, November 24.
Hetherman was not available for comment.
