Mayor Scott Avedisian and Councilwoman Camille Vella-Wilkinson will be on hand tomorrow to celebrate the opening of the Warwick Veterans Services Organization’s office in the JONAH Community Center, 830 Oakland Beach Avenue. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 11 a.m.

The Veterans Services Organization will serve as a local resource for veterans, providing individualized military and veteran support, transitional services, career coaching, benefits assistance and advocacy.

The event – held on Flag Day – will also include a performance by the Toll Gate Jazz Quartet. Light refreshments will be served.

Vella-Wilkinson, a Navy veteran, serves as the Warwick veterans’ coordinator.

For more information about the organization, please contact Vella-Wilkinson at 952-7340.

Mayor Scott Avedisian, City Council President Donna Travis, and Joanne McGunagle, director of the Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP) announced today a partnership that will provide a dedicated crew to keep the beach at the Oakland Beach seawall clean this summer.

CCAP will provide funding for the wages of a five-member crew of students whose efforts will be centered on picking up recyclable items from the beach, which is one of the city’s busiest each summer.

Plans also meet or exceed state’s ten-year rate

A comparison of the average market rates of return for the city’s four pension plans shows that they outperformed the state employee retirement system in the one-year period ending December 31 as well as the average five-year rate, Mayor Scott Avedisian said today. The plans also exceeded or were equal to the state’s ten-year rate.

According to an actuarial valuation of the state Employees’ Retirement system, as of December 31, 2012, the state’s twelve-month average was 12.49 percent. The city’s Police I and Fire plan for the same time frames had a rate of 12.7 percent; the rates for the Fire II, Police II and Municipal were 12.6, 12.7, and 12.9 percent, respectively.

Standard & Poor’s Rating Services has affirmed the City’s “AA-/Stable” bond rating, Mayor Scott Avedisian announced today. It has assigned an “AA-” rating to the $4.3 million in general obligation school bonds to be sold next week.

Mayor Scott Avedisian announced today that the city’s actuaries, Gabriel Roeder Smith & Company, have confirmed that for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, for the fifth consecutive year, there will be no Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) awarded to retirees in the Municipal Employees’ Retirement Plan.

While investments are performing well, the city’s pension plans are recovering from the economic downturn that began in 2008 – the last year COLAs were awarded.

Avedisian also noted that, based on terms of three-year contracts that were reached with the Police, Fire, and Municipal unions last July, current union and management employees are foregoing pay increases for the life of the agreements.

Recognizing that Rocky Point is still an “al-luring” place for many Rhode Islanders, the Rocky Point Foundation, the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and elected officials will be fishing for ideas as the state works to revitalize the former amusement park property.

WHO: Rocky Point Foundation and Saltwater Anglers Association members, DEM Director Janet Coit, members of the general public

WHAT: A “casting for ideas” event to begin discussions about possible future uses for Rocky Point property

WHEN and WHERE: Saturday at noon at Rocky Point in front of the former site of the saltwater pool

PHOTO OPPORTUNIITES: Rhode Islanders of all ages and special guests will cast fishing rods for a number of items tethered offshore to floating plastic bottles. As items are reeled in, participants will be asked to share thoughts for the park, using the items, such as a running shoe, lobster cutout, walking stick, cut as a jumping-off point for discussion of future park uses.
The Rocky Point Foundation mascot, Rocky Lobsta’, will also be making an appearance.

Saturday’s event is meant to get people thinking about possible uses for the 82 acres that the state recently acquired.

It’s also meant to bring attention to a public workshop that will be held Tuesday, May 7 at 6 p.m. at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet. The meeting, meant to solicit ideas for the property, is hosted by the Rocky Point Foundation with the approval of the state Department of Environmental Management, which will receive a report on the Foundation’s findings. Additional workshops may be held at locations throughout the state depending on interest.

For more information about the May 7 workshop, please call John Howell at 732-3100.

Many city employees take part in “Casual Fridays,” which raise funds for charitable causes. On Friday, casual day will also be “Denim Day,” as the city takes part in an international campaign to raise awareness about sexual assault, Mayor Scott Avedisian said. Flyers will be posted in departments to explain Denim Day to the public, he said.

This will be the second annual Rhode Island Denim Day, sponsored and promoted by Day One, an agency providing services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other violent crimes and educating the public throughout the state. Among their numerous services is a 24-hour victims of crime helpline, which is 1-800-494-8100. The city also took part in last year’s event.

Mayor Scott Avedisian and Colonel Stephen McCartney are encouraging residents who have expired and/or unwanted prescription medications to take advantage of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, April 27. The Warwick Police Department will join more than two dozen other law enforcement agencies throughout the state for this initiative. 

Residents are encouraged to bring prescription drugs to Police headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive in Apponaug, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Officers will ensure that the medications are disposed of properly.