Amgen Agrees to Pay Sewer Usage Fees at Council Meeting

Town Manager Thomas Hoover began the 40-minute session of the Town Council by announcing that Coventry has finally resolved a long-standing dispute with Immunex Rhode Island Corporation (Amgen) over sewer fees.

“After a sewer installation at Amgen years ago, the town had a dispute over user fees and there have been many sessions of negotiations,” Hoover said. “We have reached a settlement in which they agreed to pay $300,000 in lieu of past taxes and will begin paying user fees.”

Taxpayer Lock Box

A motion to install a lock box at the outside entrance of to allow citizens to pay taxes after-hours hours carried unanimously after discussion. Handling of money, security and type of lockbox were concerns expressed by board members.

Finance Director Theodore Przybyla, representing the town collector, noted there “was a strong reservation about time and date stamping.”

“We will work out the details,” said Hoover, with assurance given the lockbox will not be installed immediately until legal or other matters are completely resolved. District 5 member Ted Jendzejec had initially requested the measure. "I do not want to take time out of work to pay my taxes,” he said. "Other towns in the state have done this and it has worked out well for them."

Juvenile Hearing Board

Four new Juvenile Hearing Board members were sworn in by Town Council President Gary Cote at Monday's meeting. James Sullivan and Irene Jones were appointed for three-year terms while Andrew Perra and Jaime Bernard were appointed for one year each.

Licenses

• Simco Washington St LLC, dba Café Creamery, had its victualizing license application approved. But two other applications for liquor licenses were tabled.

• The application and approval for Class B liquor licenses (with victualling) by Sun Lee Enterprises and by Chatermike Restaurant Corporation were tabled by the council.

 “The deadline for the license has passed,” said Hoover, referring to November, 2011. Attorney Seth Perlmutter, representing owner Sing Lau of , requested a later application. “It has been a bad year for my clients in restaurants,” said Perlmutter. "My client wants to stay in business and has kept up the business."

“We will table the matter for one month,” said Cote after members unanimously voted to wait until the license fee has been fully paid and the RI Division of Taxation issues a receipt of good standing.

• Council members also tabled the application discussion for Chatermike Restaurant Corporation for a maximum of one month to allow the restaurant to pay their fee and get other paperwork in order.

President's Comments:

"I want to thank the employees for the work they did in the last two storms,” said Cote. “”The majority of the roads I traveled on were in very good shape.”