RVIA Meeting Minutes
February 3, 2014

Location: 15 River Vue Avenue


The meeting started with a meet and greet with Warwick Police Dept.’s canine squad:

Aaron Steere is our local K-9 officer/ Community Service Officer. He explained the dogs were used for evidence searches, building clearances (bombs) and narcotics raids. Officer Steere explained the dogs are an asset because they are trained to save police lives.

Officer Steere gave a brief history of the K-9 unit:

  • Spear-headed by Aaron Steere and Officer Paul Wells. The unit has been in existence for 2 years.
  • Warwick PD has 2 dogs. Both are german shepards imported from Slovakia
  • The cost of the dogs was $15,000. The cost was funded by a grant and seized drug money.
    The department loans the dogs to other cities for evidence searches/building clearances/ and narcotics busts.
  • The city police department receives 80percent of all forfeiture funds so the dogs not only pay for themselves- they are revenue generating

A meeting will be scheduled for the Spring so neighbors can watch a demonstration on how the dogs find evidence and apprehend criminals.

Police Log (since January 1, 2014):

The neighborhood has seen little (non-invasive) crime. City-wide: 602 incidents/301 arrests/968 tickets/392 car accidents/23 parking tickets/36 warrants. The police noted there have been 22 fatalities as of this meeting due to prescription and heroin overdoses. WPD REQUESTS THAT NEIGHBORS RETURN UNUSED PRESCRIPTIONS TO THE PILL DISPENSERY LOCATED AT POLICE DEPT. FLUSHING UNUSED PRESCRIPTIONS AFFECTS GROUND WATER!

Stephanie Van Patten read the meeting minutes from November and provided updates.

Updates:
As soon as City receives (sign) brackets they will hang the new street signs on Tidewater to finish the sign beautification project. In Spring, new wood pilings will be installed at the end of Whipple to prevent driving onto hurricane wall. The city will replace wood piling cracked on Lippitt Ave. in Spring (it was hit by a trash truck).

An update on the sewers followed:
They are slated for 2017.

The calendar was reviewed and updated:

March 8- Adult Party @ 6:30- 9pm
April 12- Egg hunt @11 am
May 5- Next meeting @ 7pm

Frank read thank you letters from Meadowbrook Terrace for Thanksgiving dinner in November and the Pasta Dinner in January

Ed Ladoucer’s report followed:

Making progress with courts regarding abandoned properties.

1007 Warwick Neck Ave condemned

Working on installing month to month early warning system where each department has to update and docket ordinances and their costs so departments are always on budget

Also working on a system where information is digested 1-3 days before an ordinance comes to a vote.

Working on getting interest payments for property tax to be more equitable and remove it as a line item on revenue sheets

Working on bidding process to be more efficient: as it stands even small ticket (less than $1000) items go out to bid making purchasing a long- drawn out process-looking into implementing a quicker system for small ticket items

Working to spread the cost of sewers city-wide rather than by neighborhood-looking for equity and fairness

MINUTES FOR ALL MEETINGS ON SEWERS CAN BE FOUND ON CITY WEBSITE UNDER WARWICK SEWER AUTHORITY-AUDIO FOR EVERY MEETING IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON SITE

THE TREASURER’S REPORT FOLLOWED:
$1760.99 in checking; 45,996.90 in investment account; 10K in CD; 32 paid memberships

Last issue:
Adult night to be held on March 8 (6:30-9PM)
ANY ITEMS FOR SILENT AUCTION WILL BE APPRECIATED; $10/PP; BRING WINE-HORS D’OUEVRES PROVIDED
MEETING WAS ADJOURNED!

Respectfully submitted,
Pauline Genest, Vice President