CCFD Employees Receive Paychecks, Special Master Process Continues

After nearly four weeks without pay, members of the Central Coventry Fire District recently received paychecks, bringing payroll payments current and allowing for a collective sigh of relief by employees for the time being.

On Friday afternoon, CCFD Chief Andrew Baynes explained that he met with Special Master Richard Land on Thursday at the District's Arnold Road headquarters and continues to communicate with him on a near-daily basis.

Chief Baynes went on to say that the special master process is moving forward as the district continues to gather records and make financial considerations. Assistance has been and continues to be provided by various state agencies and appointees of the Court. He also said that the district's independent audit is still underway.

When asked on Monday about the amount of revenue recently collected by the district through voluntary tax bills and if/how it has been utilized, Special Master Richard Land stated that precise information is not currently available but that the district's issues were still being worked on.

Andre Digou, an Associate Attorney at Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman with Land explained that although it has yet to be scheduled, a public forum for community members will be held in advance of the fire district's budget meeting upcoming budget meeting.

"It is still the plan that there will be some sort of town hall-style gathering where people can voice their opinion and be heard before the budget meeting," he said.

An official date for the CCFD budget meeting has yet to be confirmed. 

Check back with Coventry Patch for future CCFD updates as they become available.