Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Claims topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves small claims; orders follow-up on resident's damage claim
Summary
Council approved claims from a resident and an insurer totaling under city deductible thresholds and voted to investigate a separate resident claim after staff identified filing delays and possible non-city crew activity on the reported date.
The Central Falls City Council reviewed several citizen and insurer claims and took three distinct actions: approval of a $300 claim by Pedro Perez (tabled from Sept. 9), approval of a $1,718.18 claim presented by a representative for United Services Automobile Association/Hincher Insurance Exchange, and a decision to investigate a separate $373.43 resident claim before taking action.
For the insurer claim, law department staff said the police department acknowledged the incident and did not dispute liability or damages. Because the amount is below the city's deductible threshold of $2,500, staff recommended and the council approved payment; the motion recorded was "Motion passes 7 0."
A separate claim in the packet listed the claimant as Anna O'Golds at 589 Hunt Street; during the hearing staff and council referred to the claimant as Mrs. Gomez, and the record shows inconsistencies in the submitted dates. Law department and DPW staff noted a roughly two-month delay between the incident date signed on the form and the city's receipt of the claim, and questioned whether city crews were working on the reported date (June 13 vs. June 15). The council requested that DPW check work orders and the excavation list and report back at the next meeting; no payment was authorized pending that investigation.
Council members emphasized the need to check whether city crews were present on Hunt Street on the claimant's stated date and to verify documentation before any payment decision.
