The East Passage Lot Owners Association's Board of Directors would like to thank Senator M. Teresa Paiva Weed and Representative Bruce J. Long for their efforts on our behalf.

East Passage Estates was originally created by Commerce Oil and includes two man-made ponds. These ponds and the dams that form them are owned and maintained by the association. One of these ponds is used by the town for water to fight fires in the northern part of the island.

Last year Rhode Island enacted legislation aimed at improving the safety of dams within the state. However, other legislation threatened to restrict our ability to raise the money needed to maintain the dams.

We met with Sen. Paiva-Weed and Rep. Long. They took the time to understand our needs and worked with us to draft and introduce legislation in the Rhode Island Senate and House. The Jamestown Town Council unanimously supported this legislation.

Throughout the legislative process Sen. Paiva-Weed and Rep. Long closely followed these bills and kept us informed of progress. Thanks to their efforts, last month legislation was enacted that allows us to continue to maintain these dams at no cost to the town. Ann Deffley, chairperson John McCauley Scott Olsen James Rugh Evan Smith East Passage Lot Owners Association