Members Appointed to Two New Town Committees

At the beginning of Monday evening's Town Council meeting, District 1 Councilman Ray Spear announced to other Council members and to the audience that he will not be running for a spot on the council in November's election.

"I find it appropriate to notify all people involved that i will not be seeking reelection for a two-year term," said Spear. "I remain especially pleased and proud of the honor that I've been given to be on this council and serving the town for 16 years as school superintendent, two years as Town Council president and and two years as councilman.

"Based on the things going on in my life it is apparent that I announce that I will not be running for reelection," Spear said.

As part of the extensive meeting agenda, council members approved the appointments of members to two newly-formed committees within the Town of Coventry.

School Building Committee

Appointing a bipartisan nine member School Building Committee in conformance with Section 4.07 (d) of the Town of Coventry Home Rule Charter.

The Committee will address the upcoming bond referendum in November and will meet well before the election with Rhode Island Department of Education officials to discuss construction guidelines and establish a campaign to inform the public about and the schools' needs.

If the bonds are successful, additional meetings will be held to establish bids, select vendors and comply with RIDE regulations.

The members are Town Councilmen Ray Spear and Ted Jendzejec, School Committee Members Nancy Sprengelmeyer and Tom Hetherman, Raymond Dionne, Matthew Morse, Peter Stringfellow, William Finnegan and John Colaluca.

Park Design & Building Committee

Appointing an eight member bipartisan Design and Building Committee to develop a Representative Stephen J. Anderson Memorial Park on Town owned property adjacent to Tiogue Lake in the vicinity of the spillway on Tiogue Avenue.

Central Coventry Fire Captain Bill Hall explained that former state representative Anderson served several terms to support Coventry and his efforts to improve the Tiogue Lake and the quality of its water.

"He felt as though Tiogue Lake was an asset to this town and did everything he could to make this asset better every year he served," said Hall.  "It has been 10 years since he left us, but this has been discussed for many years."

The committee members are as follows: Bill Hall, Robert DiPadua, Raymond Sullivan, President of the Tiogue Lake Association Jeff Hakenson, Gerry Narkiewicz, Rita Anderson, Jeremy Anderson and Christopher Anderson.

"I was looking for people who had been intimately involved with Stephen's life - all worked with him closely not just tiogue lake but other issues around town. -a labor of love for them.

"This committee is made up of people who were intimately involved with Stephen's life," Hall went on to say. "They all worked with him closely not just on Tiogue Lake but other issues around town as well. This is labor of love for them.

eople who were intimately involved with Stephen's life - all worked with him closely not just tiogue lake but other issues around town. -a labor of love for them."