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COVENTRY — Townspeople next Wednesday will decide the fate of a $19.8-million package of diverse capital projects including major repairs to schools, a start on a new police headquarters and a substantial expansion of the library.
The Town Council’s bond-issue request is a slimmed version of a $35-million proposal that had been crafted a year ago by Richard I. Kerbel, then the town manager.
Wednesday’s referendum will be an all-or-nothing proposition, and critics say the capital request may be rejected because the voters will not be able to pick and choose.
Acting Town Manager Paul K. Sprague defended the one-question ballot.
“Essentially we are one community. It was preferable not to put a smorgasbord of options out there,” Sprague said yesterday.
“We don’t want to pit schools against municipal government, police against public works,” he said. “I don’t think it serves the public’s best interest. I think people will do what is right and they will vote as a community.”
If the $19.8-million proposal is approved, it would add an estimated 35 cents to the property tax rate; for a home valued at $300,000, it would mean a $105 increase in the annual tax bill.
-- By Lisa Veron-Sparks
Journal staff writer
Here is a rundown of the proposed capital expenses:
Schools: $9 million to replace the roofs at Coventry High School, Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School of Coventry and the Tiogue, Western Coventry and Blackrock elementary schools; make improvements to comply with the state’s tougher fire-safety rules, and upgrade heating and ventilation systems.Town Hall: $4.8 million to renovate the former Flat River Middle School, at 1675 Flat River Rd., to be the new Town Hall; relocate the Coventry Senior Center to that building and expand its facilities and programs, and give the Public Works and Recreation departments about $500,000 for equipment and park improvements.
Police Department: $4 million toward the cost of either building a new headquarters or renovate an existing building to replace the cramped, antiquated station at 1025 Main St. Police officials say the department, with a complement of 60 officers and 20 civilian employees, needs a home twice as big as it has now.
Coventry Public Library: $1 million to expand its space in Town Hall — roughly half of the building — to the entire structure. Over the years, the library’s collection has grown to 80,000 items, and the librarians are running out of space; dozens of programs, the children’s room, teens and adult reading areas are crowded into one space with no wall dividers.
Coventry High School track and field: $1 million for improvements to the Walter P. Clarke Athletic Complex. The track needs replacing. The fields need reseeding. Bleachers are falling apart. Lights need fixing, and the announcers’ booth, concession stands and restrooms also need repairs.
lsparks@projo.com
Gallery:See why the town is asking voters to approve a $19.8-million bond for townwide improvements.
Your Turn: Should Coventry voters approve spending $19.8 million for townwide capital improvements?
