The Independent Townie

One of the greatest privileges and responsibilities we have in a representative democracy is the right to vote for those who represent us.  Great pains are taken to make sure that the electoral ballot is fair and that voters have the right to determine their representatives, as well as determine the length of time they are to be in office.    However, there is now a proposal afoot in the East Providence City Council which, if allowed to transpire, would turn this last principle on its head in the name of “procedural error.”  In its fervor to right a previous ballot controversy around the validity of a 2012 City Charter Amendment initiative to change the Council’s term in office from 2 to 4 years, the current Council is prepared to create a far graver crisis: that of democratic illegitimacy.    In order to get to the bottom of the issue, we must start in 2012 when the East Providence electorate voted to alter the City Charter to have both the C...

I've served as the public sector Business agent for Teamsters Local 251 for the past 5 years. In my role as Business Agent, one of my duties is to negotiate labor contracts with many towns, municipalities and quasi public sector agencies throughout Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Recently, the Independent Townie ran a story on interim East Providence City Manager, Tim Chapman. The article suggested a possible conflict of interest and one City Councilor, Anna Sousa, alleged possible ethics violations based on some legal work that Mr. Chapman was performing for the City of Pawtucket. Based on my experience dealing with multiple Cities and municipalities I have to disagree with this assessment or, at the very least, suggest this type of activity is much more widespread and accepted than most are aware, according to the comments I have read. I have seen many examples of City Managers moonlighting on other projects, but one such circumstance stands above all the rest....