Chafee won't seek re-election - The Woonsocket Call

hursday, September 5, 2013LOCALTHE CALL A3Rhode Island College unveils Alex and Ani HallBy JIM BARONjbaron@pawtuckettimes.comPROVIDENCE – With greatanfare – they cut three separateibbons, one accompanied by thelare of a trumpet – Rhode Islandollege formally opened the Alexnd Ani Hall art center onednesday.RIC President Nancy Carriuoloaid the new building replaces onehat was constructed in 1958 asne of the first buildings on theampus. A second phase of contructionwill build out the front ofhe structure, she said, because thechool does not have the facilitieso move all of the students all atnce.Bids being taken onschool roof repairs inBlackstone-MillvilleBy JOSEPH FITZGERALDjfitzgerald@woonsocketcall.comBLACKSTONE – Bid proposals to replace the roof ofhe John F. Kennedy and Augustine F. Maloneylementary School complex are slated to be opened onept. 13, which means construction could start as early asct. 1 if the bids are within budget, according to interimchool Superintendent Perry P. Davis.Special Town Meeting voters in both Blackstone andillville last spring approved a combined $8,263,612 toeplace the roofs of the Blackstone-Millville Regional Highchool, the John F. Kennedy Elementary School and theugustine F. Maloney Elementary School. The $4.3 milionproject to replace the roof at the Kennedy Elementarynd Maloney Elementary Schools was originally expectedo be completed before the start of the school year, but therocess to finalize design and construction specificationsook longer then expected, Davis said in an open letter toarents and staff last week.“The project must comply with rules and guidelinesrom the Massachusetts School Building AuthorityMSBA) and most of the summer was spent finalizing theesign and construction specifications, which then had toe reviewed by a commissioning agent assigned by theSBA,” said Davis, adding that minor changed had to beade to the specifications.As a result, the public bidding process didn’t begin untilug. 21.Once a construction firm is hired for the project, contructionis expected to take approximately 10 weeks. Theontractor will roof approximately four to six classrooms attime, which should take about three days each time.uring construction, students will be relocated to anotheroom within the school complex.“At no time will a room be fully exposed to the outide,”Davis said. “The contractor is required to cover thelassroom furniture and clean the rooms after the roof isnstalled.”Davis said Augustine F. Maloney Elementary Schoolrincipal Carol A. Brown and a teacher will serve on theroject planning group that will review the constructionchedule.“We are committed to the health and safety of all chilrenand adults during the construction project,” he said.Meanwhile, the $3,866,801 project to replace the roof atlackstone-Millville Regional High School is moving forard.Davis said the next step in that project is to finalizeunding and have the architect develop preliminary designlans. If all goes according to schedule, the high schooloof project will begin in late spring.A feasibility analysis of the three schools last year recmmendedreplacing the existing roofs with a white polyinylchloride (PVC) roofing system, and installation ofew wall flashing at each school. The aging roofs of allhree facilities were badly damaged by weather two yearsgo.The roof replacement projects are part of the MSBA’sccelerated repair program in which the governmentgency reimburses the town a percentage of the cost - inhis case, a 57.7 percent reimbursement rate. However, theown was required to appropriate the full amount of theost toward the project at its inception.Earlier this year, the MSBA Board of Directors voted topprove up to $4.3 million for the roof work at the threechools, including $1.9 million for Blackstone Millvilleegional High School; $1.48 million for John F. Kennedylementary school; and $907,000 for Augustine F.aloney Elementary School.Depot Street to be closedBELLINGHAM – Depottreet at the railroad tracksill be closed Saturday forpproximately 24 hours startngat 5 a.m.A Massachusetts Bayommuter Railroad CompanyMBCR) crew will be recontructingthe on grade crossingocated about a quarter of amile south of Hartford Avenue.No vehicle traffic will beable to get past the constructionarea.MBCR representativeshave been coordinating theroad closure with theBellingham Police. Detailsofficers and detour signs willbe posted.JoinFamily!We are asking you to pleasesubmit any newsworthycontent, photos, pressreleases, etc. directly to usby email at:notices@woonsocketcall.comWe are excited to add yourcommunity news toBy RUSS OLIVOrolivo@woonsocketcall.comWOONSOCKET – Stateprosecutors have determinedthat the school superintendent’soffice violated theAccess to Public Records Actby failing to provide documentssought by a formerteacher in a timely fashion inlate 2012.Cynthia Boss askedSchools Supt. GiovannaDonoyan for records pertainingto the sick leave pooldating back to 1996, accordingto papers released by theattorney general’s office thisweek.Donoyan satisfactorilycomplied with the request forall the records on hand aftershe was hired in September2011, prosecutors said. WhenBoss followed up with a secondrequest for the balanceof the information, however,Donoyan asked for an extensionof 20 days, which wouldhave brought the legal deadlineto Jan. 15. Prosecutorssaid Donoyan did notrespond to Boss until March7.In an affidavit provided tostate prosecutors, Donoyanblamed “a confluence ofevents” for the unintentionallapse, including personnelshortages caused by“extreme financial distresswithin the school system.”Among other things,Donoyan said a longtimesecretary for her predecessorhad recently resigned, theoffice lacked “any semblanceof an orderly filing system”and a state-appointed budgetcommission had effectivelyassumed operational controlof the Woonsocket EducationIncorporated 1891Ribbons were cut at two placesinside the building, one to honorthe late teacher and student at RIC,John “Tash” Tashjian and the otherfor donors Jack and ReginaPartridge.Construction of the completedphase started in April, 2012. Phasetwo is expected to be finished byMarch of next year.She said the part of the buildingthat opened on Wednesday willhouse the manufacturing portion ofthe arts center, “the so-called dirtyarts,” of sculpture, woodworking,ceramics and jewelry making. RICand the RI School of Design teachthe only jewelry making programsin the state.When fully completed, the centerwill be used to teach ceramics,digital media design, graphicdesign, metalsmithing and jewelry,painting, photography, printmakingand sculpture.Rhode Island’s reputation as the“jewelry making capital of theworld” is being restored “thanks tojewelry makers with vision andgood business sense” such as therobustly successful Alex and Ani,which contributed $1 million (overthe next decade) toward the $17million project. The bulk of theDepartment.But prosecutors said therewas ample evidence toimpose sanctions on thesuperintendent’s office.“In doing so, we acknowledgethe asserted ‘confluenceof events,’ but respectfullysee these circumstances asthe types of challenges facedday-to-day by public bodiesthroughout the state,” prosecutorMaria R. Covese saidin an Aug. 28 letter to theeducation department’slawyer. “If these types of circumstancesexcused a publicbody’s untimely response,the APRA would have littleforce.”Reached by phone,Donoyan declined to comment,saying the complaintwas a matter of pending litigation.She referred all questionsto Richard Ackerman,legal counsel to the educationdepartment.Corvese stopped short ofimposing monetary fines onthe superintendent’s office –at least for now. State lawallows prosecutors to seek upto $2,000 in civil penalties ifthe violation was “knowingand willful.” Also, under a2012 amendment to theAPRA, the state can imposean additional $1,000 in finesif the illegal behavior was“reckless.”Despite Donoyan’s affidavit,Corvese said the superintendentnever satisfactorilyexplained the gap betweenthe date Boss was due aresponse to her recordsrequest and the time shereceived one.“Given our concerns andknowing the willful standard,as well as the 2012 amendmentincluding a recklessManville Fire Department112 Old Main Street, Manville, RI 02838Fire / Rescue: 911 / 333-1111 • Business: 762-4170The Annual Meeting of the registered voters of the Manville Fire District willbe held on September 10, 2013 at 7:30 P.M. at the Manville Fire District,112 Old Main St., Manville, RI 02838 for the purpose of electing officers,ordering taxes and providing for assessing and collecting the same, enactingby-laws as prescribed in section 10 and transacting such business or adoptingsuch measures, consistent with the charter, which the qualified voters at saidmeeting shall deem beneficial to the fire district.AGENDA1. Moderator opens the meeting2. Clerk reads meeting notice3. Motion to approve minutes of the meeting on 9/12/20124. District Officer’s Reports:1. Board of Wardens, Chairman Mike Marseglia2. Treasurer, Ronald McKenna3. Tax Collector, Ronald McKenna4. Audit Committee, Barry Nickerson5. Fire Chief, Chief Peter Adam5. New Business1. Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-142. Resolutions6. Election of District Officers1. Chairman of Board of Wardens Assumes Chair2. Moderator, Term 2013-14. Candidate Gerry St. Germain.3. District Clerk, Term 2013-14. Candidate Melanie Carrier.4. Fire Warden, Term 2013-15. Candidate Paul McKeon.5. Fire Warden, Term 2013-15. Candidate Charlie Malenfant.6. Treasurer, Term 2013-14. Candidate Ronald McKenna.7. Tax Collector, Term 2013-14. Candidate Ronald McKenna.7. Public Comment8. AdjournmentDistrict Clerk,Melanie Carrierfunding for construction camefrom a 2010 bond issue approvedby voters.The 54,000 square-foot facilitywill house six indoor electric kilns,three large outdoor kilns and oneenclosed gas kilns. One of the kilnswill be wood-fired which gives theclay and glaze a different look andfeel from the other ovens“We believe in reinvestment,”Alex and Ani CEO GiovanniFeroce said. “Alex and Ani Hall isa reminder, hopefully, that part ofthe process of building a businessin the United States includes reinvestment.“For us, it was really kind of ano-brainer to create a workforceincubator within our institutions ofstandard, we shall allow thesuperintendent’s office 10business days from the dateof this letter to provide uswith an explanation as towhy its untimely responseshould not be consideredknowing and willful, or reckless,in light of its recognitionof the APRA requirements,”Corvese said.In a related matter,Corvese rejected a secondcomplaint lodged by Bossagainst the BudgetCommission. She contendedthat the commission violatedthat state Open Meetings Actby failing to provide requisiteadvance notice of ameeting in which her job terminationwas allegedly discussedby the panel withmembers of the SchoolCommittee.Corvese concluded therewas no evidence that such aTiresWE ALSO BUYTIRES, RIMS& BATTERIESRHYDATIRE CO.higher education,” Feroce added.“The jewelry component of ourbusiness is a very big piece. Alexand Ani is a multi-billion dollarcompany; it is just getting where itneeds to go.“This is now a state asset,” hesaid of the new hall, “we should bevery proud of that. I also believe itis another step in moving RhodeIsland forward. Rhode Island is awonderful place.”Feroce said Alex and Ani had23 employees in May, 2010 and asof last Monday its payroll reached837.Gov. Lincoln Chafee who participatedin the ribbon cutting, said,“the arts are an important part ofour economy.”City School Dept. violated public records lawHarmony Library launches book group seasonGLOCESTER – The Harmony Library will launch itsmonthly book discussion groups’ season with four book discussiongroups. They include:• Classic and Contemporary Book Discussion Group – Thisgroup, led by Harry Anderson for a 20th season, will talk aboutBreakfast with Buddha by R. Merullo on Thursday, September19, at 2 p.m.• Second Thursday Book Discussion Group – This groupmeets monthly, led by former librarian Patti Folsom, to discusspopular novels. On October 10, the group will discuss Tinkersby Paul Harding at 1:30 p.m.• Mystery Book Discussion Group – Brenda Fecteau, theHarmony Library Adult Librarian, will discuss Harlan Coben’sDeal Breaker on Thursday, September 26, at 1:30 p.m.• Glocester Senior Center Book Discussion Group – Meetand talk with fellow seniors to discuss Prodigal Summer byBarbara Kingsolver on Wednesday, October 9, at 1 p.m.The books are available at the Harmony Library. For informationon the book discussion groups or other HarmonyLibrary programs, visit www.harmonylibrary.org.meeting took place.Moreover, she said, even if ithad, the OMA gives thebudget commission far morelatitude on OMA standardsthan other public bodies.Corvese said the commissionmust comply with thelaw only when a meeting isheld to vote on assessingtaxes; creating or amendingits own self-governing rules;adopting a municipal budget;collective bargaining agreements;or making a determinationthat its powers areinsufficient to restore fiscalstability to a city or town.Boss, a Woonsocket resident,could not be reachedfor comment on this story.Donoyan declined to saywhere she worked or whyshe is no longer employed asa teacher.Follow Russ Olivo onTwitter @russolivoIt’s not too lateto refinanceyour ride.And maybe use the moneyyou save for a little road trip.You just got a new car and you loveeverything about it. But maybe you couldbe paying a little less for it. Let us take alook at your rate, help you refinance,and maybe save you a little money everymonth.navigantcu.org • 401.233.4700$15 00up214 S. Main St.,WoonsocketOrange blg. in rear356-4200M.-F. 9-5 • Sat. 9-2HARMONY FARMSPICKYOUR OWNAPPLESOPENING SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 7TH• HAY RIDES •359 SAW MILL ROAD, HARMONY • 934-0741Visit our website: www.harmonyfarmsri.comTake Route 44 West into Harmony, 1st left after Harmony Fire Stationand follow signs to Harmony Farms.Hours: Tues. - Sun. 9am to 5pm