Coventry ratifies Public Works superintendent contract after executive session

The Coventry Town Council on Thursday ratified the signed contract for Michael Jacovone as Coventry Public Works superintendent after a closed executive session on the personnel matter.

Council members first voted to take the item off the table; that procedural motion passed 4‑to‑0 with one abstention. The council then ratified the signed contract in a separate roll-call vote that was recorded 5‑to‑0. Town Manager Perillo confirmed that required signatures had been added to the document and that the signed contract would be posted on the town website the following day.

The council entered into executive session earlier in the meeting "pursuant to Rallon General Law section 42‑46‑5 a 1" to discuss the personnel contract for the Public Works superintendent. The council stated publicly after the session that no votes were taken during the executive session. The council later voted to seal the executive-session minutes; that motion carried unanimously.

Procedural record: the motion to take the contract off the table was made and seconded during the post‑executive-session agenda, and the clerk recorded 4 affirmative votes, 0 negatives and 1 abstention for that motion. The subsequent motion to ratify the signed contract was recorded as 5 affirmative votes and 0 negatives. Manager Perillo told the council, "The changes that made, signatures have been put onto the document, and we are all set." When a council member asked whether the document would be published, Perillo replied, "Correct. Tomorrow."

Council members said they expect the personnel investment to improve Public Works operations and help the department manage service levels as the town grows. The council closed the item after confirming the votes and filing instructions for the signed contract.