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Coventry council adopts budget-transparency resolution and monthly solicitor invoice access
Summary
The Coventry Town Council voted unanimously April 22 to require quarterly financial monitoring and to give council members access to unredacted solicitor invoices under a revised letter of engagement. The measure requires review and council action when departments trend 5% or more over budget year-to-date.
The Coventry Town Council on April 22 unanimously approved a resolution that requires quarterly budget monitoring and directs the town treasurer to notify council when any department is projected to exceed its annual budget by 5% or more based on year-to-date trends.
The resolution, introduced by Councilman Pasquale, also establishes procedures for required council review of projected overages, gives the council access to detailed solicitor invoices for monthly inspection, and added a procedural amendment in a letter of engagement (LOE) from the town solicitor to align contracting language with the new oversight requirement. Pasquale said the change is intended to give the elected council early warning on budget trends and a defined path for corrective action.
The measure requires the town treasurer to prepare a quarterly report, notify council within five business days if a department is trending toward a 5% overage, and automatically docket the issue for the next regularly scheduled council meeting. Heads of departments flagged by the treasurer must provide written and verbal explanations and proposed corrective actions. The resolution also directs that all council review and decisions be recorded in official minutes, whether in open session or, when legally appropriate, in executive session.
Council debate focused on implementation details and on safeguarding attorney-client privilege while allowing the council to inspect unredacted invoices. Pasquale said the LOE was amended to permit the council, acting as a body, to review unredacted solicitor billing when concerns arise; council members who view privileged material must sign an acknowledgement and the council must vote in open session to waive privilege for public disclosure.
Solicitor Matthew Angel addressed the meeting after public comment and asked for clearer categorization of charges in finance reports. Assistant Town Manager and Finance staff provided a financial ledger at the meeting after requests by council members. Council members said the finance office should provide periodic, categorized reports (claims, experts, settlements, stenography, subcontractors) so the public record matches how charges are actually incurred.
Passage and next steps The council voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution. A separate motion to approve the solicitor's amended letter of engagement (LOE), with direction for the town manager to sign if acceptable, also passed 5-0.
Council members said the resolution is intended to be applied townwide (not limited to the solicitor's office) and to give both the council and town administration a structured process to spot and address budget pressures earlier in the fiscal year.
Community reaction Residents who spoke during public comment, including Stacy Nichols and others, urged stronger, ongoing oversight of solicitor invoices, questioned large line items in the town budget, and pressed the council to publish clearer revenue and grant-tracking items for programs such as human services and school projects. Council leaders scheduled follow-up briefings and public hearings to answer specific constituent questions about the provisional budget.
