TLA Pond View Rages On

Battle continues. Ken Foley of Pond View once again addressed the city council in April. He offered all city residents free disposal of construction debris and free use of a dumpster. Foley then went on to say that “I think the city has not studied Omega Pond officially. We hired a firm (which he didn’t identify) and found that the city has 284 catch basins emptying into Omega Pond and the ten mile river. It’s basically a sewer”, Foley said. “This could cause the smell - not ‘PondView’, we are on sewers”. According to Foley, he stated that “the D.E.M. is about to cite Omega Pond as one of the state’s highest bacteria areas”. We’re not the bad people that some of this council says we are”, said Foley. “You folks have a serious problem here”, he said.

Not impressed. Resident Joann Durfee, who lives less than 700 feet from Omega Pond, has been a regular critic of TLA Pond View. She wasn't buying any of Foley’s comments. “Do they think we’re lying? We have constant dust and problems from Pond View and they’re operating illegally”, she told the Reporter. During the April 19th council meeting Durfee blasted Mayor Bruce Rogers, former councilman Brian Coogan, Pond View vice-president Jack Walsh and Ken Foley. Durfee alleged that a conflict of interest exists between Rogers and Coogan who are friends. Durfee also said that Foley provided a mortgage for Coogan. Coogan denied the statement. Coogan countered that councilman Bill Conley is behind the attacks on him from Durfee. Coogan further believes that Conley is going after Mayor Rogers because of his connection to himself.

Threats and Conflicts of Interest. Durfee went on to tell the council that there are “clear conflicts of interests because Rogers was Coogan’s campaign manager. She also disclosed that “someone” in the Walsh family contributed to the former Coogan campaign. Durfee went on to allege further conflict because Rogers was hired to work at a family business owned by the Coogans. “Coogan also threatened me and I reported that to Mayor Rogers who said ‘I know, Mr. Coogan told me’,” said Durfee. “I feel badly that they’re attacking Bill Conley for helping me. Mr. Conley had nothing to do with my charges against Pond View and Mayor Rogers. I did my own research. I have 15 years experience working in the legal field”, Durfee told the Reporter.

Not going to the party. Joann Durfee and many of her neighbors won’t be taking up Mayor Rogers’ offer to ‘tour’ Pond View or the neighborhood surrounding Pond View on May 7th. “Mayor Rogers, we do not want you or Jack Walsh in our neighborhood. You are deceitful people”, she told the council. “Know this, we will be vigilant and watch what you do and know how you vote. We are united”, Durfee said. Durfee also maintained her accounts of Mr. Coogan’s financial ties to Ken Foley can be corroborated by city hall deeds in the clerk’s office as well as RI campaign election filings.

Senator DaPonte legislation. The RI Senate passed a bill introduced by Senator Daniel DaPonte, District 14, which would limit the amount of debris companies like Pond View can process. DaPonte’s bill would revert PondView back to the original limit of 150 tons of waste per day. Currently Pond View is processing 500 tons a day and wants to increase it to 1,500 tons. East Providence’s Representative, Helio Melo, District 64, has also introduced legislation in the House. Omega Way resident, Joann Durfee told the Reporter that “Senator DaPonte, although it took him a while, did respond to me and did walk the neighborhood with us. He has been very helpful and I appreciate it”.