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Coventry Council appoints two members to newly recognized Coventry Land Trust
Summary
The council appointed and swore in Elsa Block (three‑year term) and Justine Johnson (two‑year term) to the Coventry Land Trust. Both were selected by roll call votes and sworn in at the meeting; one vacancy remains open for applicants who did not attend.
The Coventry Town Council on Jan. 14 appointed two residents to the newly formalized Coventry Land Trust and administered their oaths of office.
The council named Elsa Block to a three‑year term and Justine Johnson to a two‑year term. Both appointments were approved by roll call vote, 6–0, and the appointees were sworn in at the meeting.
Why it matters: the council recently adopted an ordinance to formally recognize a Coventry Land Trust and the appointments establish a legally constituted body to steward conservation, access and land‑protection work in town.
Applicant backgrounds and council remarks
Elsa Block, 22, told the council she graduated with a degree in environmental studies and works with Save the Bay as an AmeriCorps education member; she emphasized education, public access, conservation easements and outreach as priorities. "I feel like there's a need," Block said, describing ideas for maps, public education and conservation easement outreach.
Justine Johnson, a veterinarian and co‑founder of Ocean State Veterinary Specialist, told the council she wants to invest time in local conservation work and noted prior board experience. Johnson said she would step aside if a family conflict created a problem; the council accepted her application for a two‑year seat.
Process and vote
The council received five applications for three openings. Members voted to appoint Block to the three‑year term and Johnson to the two‑year term by recorded roll calls. The council left the remaining one‑year opening unfilled to give applicants who were not present an opportunity to be interviewed in person.
Ending: Block and Johnson were sworn in and joined existing Land Trust members; council members said the RDA and planning office will staff the commission and that further recruitment will continue to fill the remaining seat.
