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Scott Avedisian, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gubernatorial hopeful Lincoln Chafee during Mayor Bloomberg's visit to Rhode Island.
September 28 - The City, in cooperation with the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, can now accept rigid plastic items for recycling. Items, such as toys, lawn furniture, kiddie pools, and laundry baskets, can be dropped off in special Dumpsters at the city's compost facility on Sandy Lane.
September 22 - The Mayor and the director of the state's Department of Environmental Management announced that the village of East Natick will receive a grant of up to $100,000 from DEM to build a walking path along the shores of the Pawtuxet River. informational signs about the river, the area and wildlife are part of the project design, as is an area that will be handicapped accessible.
September 10 - Mayor Avedisian crisscrossed the city to announce and unveil a new village sign program, meant to highlight and promote the city's rich history and the role that Warwick's neighborhoods and villages have played in the community's development. The white, metallic signs have been installed in more than two dozen locations so far. Each contains a 100-word description, provided by the area's neighborhood or village association, the city seal and a tagline. The signs will be highlighted in future brochures prepared by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Development so vistiors and locals alike can tour Warwick and learn more about its history.
August 31 - The Mayor announced that the Oakland Beach community will receive a new "gateway" sign to welcome visitors to their seaside neighborhood, courtesy of a $2500 grant from the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.
August 20 - Mayor Avedisian announced that city crews are beginning to repair roads damaged during the March floods. Avedisian thanked residents for their patience, noting that the city needed to confirm federal funds had been released for the infrastructure projects and that no additional road settling would occur.
August 16, 2010 – Avedisian will attend the Federal Aviation Administration’s public meeting to formally submit the city’s response to the FAA and Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s latest proposal for runway expansion. The plan, which would extend the runway to 8,700 feet toward Airport Road, is the most reasonable to date, Avedisian said, but the FAA and RIAC still must address a number of issues, including quality of life; air and water quality concerns; the schedule and plans for home acquisition; adequate repayment to the city for additional property that will be taken from the tax rolls; wetlands concerns; the relocation of ballfields that are home to two of the city’s largest youth leagues; and the proximity of the proposed new fenceline to two elementary schools.
Avedisian has long said that an acceptable compromise would be to lengthen the runway to 8,300 feet, allowing RIAC and the FAA to meet close to all of its stated air carrier goals while keeping operations within the current fenceline, greatly reducing impacts on the host community. The city, unlike communities that host other state facilities like the central landfill, does not receive PILOT money from the state.
For more information about the meeting, the proposed expansion plan, how to submit comments and more, log onto: http://www.pvdairport.com/main.aspx?sec_id=89
July 2010 – Avedisian announces that the city is now able to take online credit card payments for water and sewer usage bills. Last year, the city began online collection of motor vehicle, tangible and property tax payments online; a 1-800 number will soon be available for those who’d like to make payments by phone.
July 2010 – Avedisian announces that staff has returned to both the Warwick Sewer Authority complex and the Warwick Animal Shelter. Both facilities, on Arthur Devine Boulevard, were damaged by the March Floods; in some buildings, contaminated flood waters reached eight- to 10-feet high. The WSA has been working closely with environmental agencies, including the U.S. EPA, to rebuild with more cost-effective , energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly technology. The Animal Shelter likewise has been rebuilt with new electrical and fire alarm systems that are more energy efficient.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Shelter, adopting a pet, or making a monetary donation or a gift of supplies should call (401) 468-4377.
July 12 – Avedisian announces that Warwick has been named to MONEY Magazine’s Top 100 Places to Live in America’s list – an honor the city also received in 2006. This year’s list, which focused on communities with a population of 50,000 to 300,000, looked at a variety of factors, including quality of life, recreational opportunities, test scores, crime rates, and home affordability.
July 7, 2010 – Avedisian and the United States Small Business Administration announce an agreement that will allow for continual pedestrian public access to the city’s 41 acres at the former amusement park property overlooking Narragansett Bay. Plans for the unobstructed mile of shoreline property include passive recreation such as kayaking, hiking, and more. The city will lease a portion of the 83 acres on which a road leading into the property is located for $1 per year. In exchange, the city must install fencing and take other measures to assure that trespassers do not go onto the area still under the SBA’s control.
Avedisian expects that the city’s property will be open for public pedestrian access by mid- to late-fall.
June 7, 2010 – Avedisian announces that he will introduce for City Council consideration a comprehensive pension and health care reform package that will save the city millions of dollars each year over time. The legislation, affecting employees hired on or after July 1, 2012, addresses such issues as health care benefit co-payments for retirees; cost of living (COLA) increases; the formula that determines one’s annual pension; and the length of time one would qualify for a disability pension. These changes would affect municipal, police and fire union employees as well as management employees in those three groups.
May 2010 – Mayor Scott Avedisian, Westerly Town Council President Diana Avedesian and Jason Lin of the Westerly Innovations Network announce an innovative partnership that will allow the city to collect used cooking oil and convert it into biodiesel fuel credits for needy families. The brainchild of a group of Westerly sixth-grade students, the TGIF – Turn Grease Into Fuel – program has earned the students a number of national awards. Last year, more than 3,000 gallons of grease was collected each month from close to 80 participating South County restaurants – meaning a donation of over 4,000 gallons of Bioheat® to three area non-profits to help heat needy families’ homes.
June 20-21: Avedisian kicks off American Cancer Society's 2008 Relay for Life of Warwick. To learn more about this event, and to see why the Mayor is personally involved in this cause, visit www.warwickri.gov/actioncenter/relayforlife.htm
June 17: Avedisian endorses Steve Colantuono for Ward One Warwick City Council seat. Mayor Avedisian and former Ward One Councilwoman Sue Stenhouse joined over 50 Colantuono supporters at Aspray Boathouse in Pawtuxet Park as he announced his candidacy. In endorsing the 44-year-old attorney and psychologist, Avedisian, who represented the ward for nine years prior to Stenhouse's tenure, noted that Colantuono would continue the Republican tradition of putting people before politics. Avedisian also said that Colantuono shares his vision for continued progress in Warwick.
May 7: Avedisian issues Executive Order 2008-01, which will require all non-union employees to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance premium effective July 1. This will save an estimated $80,000 annually. Avedisian also ordered that any non-union employees hired after that date will pay 15 percent of the premium. Avedisian, who was the first Mayor in city history to successfully negotiate health care premium co-payments with municipal unions, indicated that increased payments will be part of upcoming union negotiations.
May 5: Avedisian is one of 15 Rhode Island individuals and companies honored by City Year Rhode Island during their annual dinner. In recognition of their 15th anniversary, the organization honored "the shining stars who have lit our path and built the foundation upon which we stand. Without their support and the support of so many others, we would not be able to continue serving in Rhode Island's communities and making a difference in the lives of children." For more information about this amazing group, visit www.cityyear.org/rhodeisland.aspx
May 5: Avedisian announces that due to the sale of General Obligation Refunding Bonds at very favorable interest rates, the city will save $1.4 million in future debt service. In concert with this transaction, Standard & Poor's upgraded the city's bond rating to AA-.
Avedisian Receives Endorsement of the Republican Leadership Council
Supporters Gather for Concert to Re-elect Scott Avedisian
Susan Farmer & Lila Sapinsley Co-host Avedisian Event
Warwick Beacon Editorial: Saving Rocky Point
Rallying Dems, Avedisian announces bid for 6th term