Court Asked to Release CCFD Documents

STATE HOUSE, APR. 15 – In a brief filed with Kent Country Superior Court, State Representative Patricia Morgan (R-Coventry, West Warwick, Warwick) has asked for the release of past financial and operating data for the Central Coventry Fire District.

Morgan’s request was filed on behalf of the Central Coventry Citizens Taskforce for Fire Protection, the group organized to review options for fire and emergency services in central Coventry.

“All of the attention on the Central Coventry Fire District has been on keeping the CCFD open, and keeping it operating on the same unsuccessful basis it has been,” said Morgan.

“The focus of this taskforce is on identifying options for the future, and ways fire protection and emergency services can be provided in a more accountable and cost-effective fashion. To do this, the group needs to understand exactly what has been going on,” she continued. "The operating and financial data that has been gathered by the Special Master has not been made readily available by the Fire District, it is not posted on the Special Master’s website, and the Special Master has not responded to our request for the information."

“Under these circumstances, we had no choice but to ask Judge Stern to order its release,” Morgan concluded.

The information sought in the court filing included:

• Operating Budgets – Prior Five Years

• Treasurer’s Reports – Prior Five Years

• Capital Budget – Prior Five Years

• Sources & Uses of Fund – Prior Five Years (if not detailed in Treasurer’s Report)

• Capital Assets Detail – All plant and equipment

• Salary & Benefits data – All employees, by rank/position – Prior five years

• Operations Summary – Prior Five Years to include, but not limited to:

- Total # 911 or direct dispatch calls

- Total # fire runs

- Total # fire runs – mutual aid (specify location)

- Total # emergency runs

- Total # emergency runs – mutual aid (specific location)