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January 23, 2008

Update: Turnout is light for Coventry bond referendum

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers
In the Town Council Chambers at Coventry Town Hall, voters sign in today with poll supervisers, fom right, Frank Dolan, Estelle Cipolla, Anthony Petrucci and Victoria Brown.

COVENTRY -- Voter turnout is reported to be light today for a bond issue referendum for nearly $20 million in renovations.

Board of Canvassers clerks reported at about 3 p.m. turnout in the high 200s at each of the five polling places; the polling areas have on average a total of about 4,500 eligible voters.

"It's very light. We got a lot of phone calls from people asking where do they have to go to vote," said Janis Jendzejec, head clerk of the Board of Canvassers. "I expected to see more than it is, especially with all the hoopla with the School Department."

The package proposal includes $9 million for schools, including roof replacement, fire safety upgrades and heating system repairs. An additional $1 million would be used to renovate the athletic complex at Coventry High School.

Voters will also be deciding on a $4.8 million plan to turn the former Flat River Middle School into a new Town Hall. The Coventry Senior Center would also go in the Flat River Middle School building.

Another $4 million of the $19.8-million bond would go toward police facilities -- either a new headquarters or a thorough renovation of the existing building.

Coventry Public Library would also benefit, with $1 million to expand, and the town’s public works department would get $500,000 for equipment and park maintenance.

Today’s referendum is an all-or-nothing proposition, something critics have said may turn voters off, because they cannot pick and choose what projects to support.

But if the proposal is approved, it would add an estimated 35 cents to the property tax rate – a home valued at $300,000 would see a $105 increase on the annual tax bill.

Click below to find your polling place.

-- projo.com staff writers Brandie M. Jefferson and Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 4:22 PM | Permalink

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