Energy Savings To Pay For Building Upgrades

Coventry's schools and municipal buildings may get upgrades to their ventilation and electricity systems after the Town Council agreed to borrow $5 million to finance the work Monday.

The council voted 3-0 to ask the General Assembly to authorize the town to issue up to $5 million in bonds to to finance air quality and energy efficiency improvements and other repairs and renovations to school buildings and other municipal buildings in the town. Every school and town building would see upgrades in lighting systems, weather stripping, insulation and heating and ventilation systems, improving the buildings' efficiency and saving energy costs, according to Town Manager Thomas Hoover. The scope of the enhancements make the money more of an investment than a loan, according to Hoover.

"This is a follow-up on our energy audit of town buildings," Hoover said. "We're asking the General Assembly to allow us to go out to referendum so we can get this done and pay for it over time. We can pay for all the costs through energy savings."

Hoover estimated the repairs would pay for themselves in 15-20 years.

The council also asked the General Assembly to increase the limit on the issuance of bonds up to 10 percent of the municipal budget to pay for the remediation of the former landfill on Arnold Road.

The town is under orders from the state Department of Environmental Management to close the former landfill, for , according to Hoover. The town has already borrowed about 5 percent of the budget to pay for the remediation, bringing the total cost to about $10 million.

In other business Monday:

• The council voted 2-1 to oppose House Bill No. 7250, which requires citie and towns to abide by the terms a previous teacher contract until a new agreement is reached.
• The council also voiced objection to a provision of the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act — enacted during pension reform hearings last fall — that requires towns to perform an actuarial experience study on the police and municipal pension plans. The study will cost Coventry $21,000. "This really rubs me the wrong way," said council President Gary Cote. "This is just another unfunded mandate from the state."
• The Town Council appointed Frank Hyde to fill the unexpired term of Lianne M. Russell, District 3, who , until the next regular election.
• The "clean hands" ordinance, presented by Councilman Ted Jendzejec, was passed - which requires a person to be in compliance with zoning ordinances before they ask for any variance.
• The Council passed a resolution requesting the town Tax Collector to only charge penalties on the late installment of property taxes instead of the entire tax bill, which is what currently happens. "This could be a huge savings to taxpayers struggling to meet their tax bills," said Jendzejec. The change will be effective July 1, 2012.