Judge Approves CCFD Board Election Voting Procedures

At Kent County Superior Court on Monday, Judge Brian Stern approved Central Coventry Fire District Special Master Richard Land's request to finalize voting procedures for the district's Board of Directors election on June 29.

The following election details were approved in Superior Court:

The Special Election will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2013, in the Town Council Chambers at the Coventry Town Hall (1675 Flat River Rd.). The location was suggested to the Court by Land because it has been used regularly as a polling location in the past, has ample parking and is handicap accessible. Members of the Board of Canvassers have been authorized to make accommodations for the elderly and/or physically disabled at the vote on June 29.

In regards to the order of names on the voting ballot, Judge Stern approved Special Master Land's request that each of the eligible candidates be listed on the ballots in alphabetical order with no mention of political affiliations, endorsements or other designations. Land was authorized to obtain voting ballots from the Board of Elections.

Judge Stern also approved the timeline for which election notices are to be provided to and published in Coventry Patch, Kent County Times and Providence Journal leading up to the election.

Two of the 14 individuals who declared candidacy and submitted signatures were rejected by Judge Stern after their eligibility was called into question last week.  

After consulting the CCFD charter, RI State Election Law and Supreme Court records, Judge Stern ruled that Richard Polselli and Keith J. Decesare Jr. were not qualified candidates through failure to meet RI General Law Section 17-1-13 requiring they each be registered to vote in the Central Coventry Fire District 30 days preceding the election.

"This does not rise to the level of this court using its equitable powers to waive these requirements that have been set out clearly in our law," said Stern.

The 12 qualified candidates to be listed on the ballot for the June 29 election are as follows:  

Raymond J. Angell III

Marie A. Baker

Cynthia A. Fagan-Perry

Stephen P. Fay

Ronald J. Gizzarelli

Fred P. Gralinski

Robert G. Hadley

Maureen K. Jendzejec

R. David Jervis

Daniel G. Lantz, Jr.

Helen G. Quinn

Raymond D. Scott, Jr.