Council Recognizes Town Agencies For Irene Response

At Monday night's meeting, Town Council members recognized the efforts of the , and departments as well as the town's fire districts for their efforts before, during and after Tropical Storm Irene.

Council President Gary Cote began the meeting by expressing his admiration for the town employees who were responsible for planning and executing care and service from the first announcement of the storm through the following weeks.

"The amount of planning and people that went into preparing the town for the forthcoming storm was amazing to me," he said. "When I went to the EOC (Emergency Operations Center), it was the biggest learning experience I've had since high school. I didn't even have to ask questions about anything because they explained to me what, why and how they were doing everything. It was a pleasure being there and I can't say enough about our EOC and the men and women that work for the Town of Coventry in all of our departments. They stepped up and answered the call."

Councilman Ray Spear awarded a letter of recognition to Pat Shurtleff and her Human Services employees for taking care of residents in the emergency shelter.

"Eighty per cent of the shelter's volunteers were Pat's full-time employees," acknowledged Cote. "They took the time away from their families to serve the people of Coventry that they take care of on a daily basis."

District Two Representative Carl Mattson presented letters of recognition to Coventry's fire chiefs from Central Coventry, Anthony, Hopkins Hill and Western Coventry for their around-the-clock service during the storm, as did Councilman Ted Jendzejec to Police Chief Bryan Volpe and the Coventry Police Department.

Public Works Superintendent, Dennis Smith and his employees were recognized by Councilman Kerry McGee for the constant cleanup efforts and long hours that the Department has been performing since the storm.

"When I say that the people that your taxes help pay stepped up to take care of this town, I mean it because I saw it myself," said Cote.