Coventry ‘Headed in the Right Direction’ Says Council Prez Lima

COVENTRY, RI — Following last week’s quick approval of the FY24 budget, Coventry Town Council President Hillary Lima said she feels the town is “headed in the right direction” after years of controversy and neglect.

The first-term councilor, who secured the Dist. 4 seat after running unopposed in a 2021 special election, has already navigated the town through a number of challenges, including the replacement of several top administrators, among them the town manager and senior finance department staff.

At the same time, Lima’s tenure has also been marked by significant changes in how the town operates, most notably the elimination of an all-day referendum in favor of the town council approving the FY24 budget.

WarwickPost recently furnished Lima with a set of questions about her experience in Coventry, her view of where the town is and where it’s going, and the biggest lessons she’s learned as an elected official. Her answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

What is your general reaction to this year’s budget process? What would you like residents to know about how the FY24 budget was developed?

Overall, I am pleased with this year’s budget process. Especially having a new finance director on board that has been working around the clock to help right the ship in terms of what was left by their predecessor. To walk into 18 months of unreconciled accounts, loose financial controls, and unorganized paper trails and still produce a budget for the town council to consider for one of the largest municipalities in the state is huge.

For the first time in many years, the stability of the town’s financials are headed in the right direction.

Residents of Coventry should have confidence that for the first time in many years, the stability of the town’s financials are headed in the right direction and controls are being put in place as we speak to prevent mismanagement and neglect like we previously experienced from ever happening again, regardless of who is finance director or town manager.

Town Manager Parrillo explained in a recent WarwickPost.com article that he feels the budget shows that Coventry is “moving forward” — what kind of progress do you think this budget represents?

While this budget represents fiscal stability as I mentioned in my previous response, it also represents another year of commitment to making an investment in capital improvement projects. In previous years when the budget was voted upon by taxpayers, capital improvement funding was always on the chopping block by former town councils to bring the budget down to a level that voters would approve.

Infrastructure has been neglected for so long that it’s going to take a while for us to catch up in maintenance.

Now we’re at a point that infrastructure has been neglected for so long that it’s going to take a while for us to catch up in maintenance. This budget provides for operational funding for capital improvement and creatively uses the federal ARPA funding to supplement some of its allocation to defer the tax burden in such inflationary economic times while also making sure we still make the commitment.

This is the first time that the Coventry Town Council has approved a budget without a referendum or financial town meeting. How do you think this change improved the budget process this year? For example, the new process effectively stops small groups of voters from rejecting the budget at the last minute through referendum, while putting more responsibility on the council to weigh their concerns so that their votes are representative of their constituents’ views.

I believe this budget process effectively encourages the electorate to reengage with their elected officials making the town council a more pure form of representative democracy. Coventry historically has had very few contested elections and very low turnout at financial town meetings in recent years and I believe those are a by product of the all day budget referendum.

Coventry historically has had very few contested elections and very low turnout at financial town meetings in recent years.

Through this new process, a super majority of the town council is required to adopt a budget, but the public hearings still remain for the public to voice their opinions. If there’s a desire to see new representation on the town council due to what’s perceived to be poor decision making or decisions unrepresentative of the voters, then democracy provides the opportunity for an election to elect new town council or school committee members.

What are the top two or three most important qualities that Town Manager Parrillo has brought to the position? How do you feel his management is helping to instill confidence in town staff and residents?

Dan has done a great job jumping into the role of town manager. He is dedicated, responsive, fair, and organized, but most of all, he really cares about the Town of Coventry and the people that live and work here. He’s exhibited a great deal of effective leadership since taking the helm in late March and has shepherded many long-stagnant items over the finish line to keep Coventry moving forward.

[Town Manager Dan Parrillo] has exhibited a great deal of effective leadership since taking the helm in late March.

Manager Parrillo has done a great job of improving the morale and productivity of our valued town employees as well, making sure they feel supported and have clear expectations for everyone to succeed. He doesn’t just work traditional hours either. He attends numerous community events and has integrated himself into the fabric of the town, which is incredibly important.

In an interview with the Rhode Island College Anchor, you mentioned that one of your first interactions with government was testifying at a school committee hearing. You’ve also had experience with campus, town, and state organizations. What would you say are the biggest things you’ve learned about government during your time on the council so far? 

I’ve really come to terms with the fact that there’s never a decision you can make as an elected official that will make everyone happy and that’s OK. Throughout my first year on the council, I kept looking to make decisions that would make everyone happy, until I realized that decisions like that don’t exist. I’ve also really improved my patience in these last two years.

I kept looking to make decisions that would make everyone happy, until I realized that decisions like that don’t exist.

Government tends to move very slow and when you work with a community like Coventry that has had so much neglect, it’s difficult to sit tight and wait for things to come to fruition. But pulling together a list at a recent town council meeting to review everything we’ve accomplished so far since I took leadership in November has put things into perspective tremendously.