NEW: Coventry Taskforce to Report Findings
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The Coventry citizen group investigating alternatives for fire and emergency services in central Coventry will present its initial findings at a meeting in Coventry Wednesday night.
The meeting will be held at Club Jogues on Boston St. in Coventry, at 7 p.m. The meeting is open to all, but only Central Coventry Fire District taxpayers will be permitted to participate in the discussions.
The Coventry Citizens Taskforce for Fire Protection was formed in March, after the Central Coventry Fire District was threatened with liquidation following a third vote by taxpayers rejecting higher budgets.
Six citizen study groups under the auspices of the Taskforce have been looking at long-term alternatives to providing fire and emergency services in Central Coventry. The options under consideration range from full privatization of fire services to the re-organization of the current fire district. A seventh group is looking at Charter issues, either related to the re-organization of the CCFD, or the creation of a new district.
Taskforce co-chair Fred Gralinski said he expected each of the groups to make full reports on Wednesday evening.
“Every one of the options we are looking at has pros and cons. What we want to do is put all the information and thinking we have on the table, and get feedback from the community. I expect after this meeting we will be able to narrow the number of options, and move to schedule district-wide information meetings and a referendum to decide which option to adopt.
“But there will be a lot of meat to get into on Wednesday. Whether it is creation of a municipal department, a re-organization of the existing CCFD, privatization or another of the alternatives we are looking at, I expect the discussion will be a lively one,” Gralinski said.
“Our goal throughout this process is to be as transparent as possible. We want to see as many residents as possible at our review meeting on Wednesday, and hear from those who can't make it. We've made it possible for anyone to connect with comments via our website, at www.coventrycitizens.weebly.com.
"This is a collaborative and community-wide effort, and the more input and involvement we have, the better the final result," he said.
Related Articles
- Legislators Seek Investigation of Central Coventry Fire District
- NEW: Morgan and Central Coventry Task Force Request Document Transparency
