At a committee meeting Monday night, Councilman Robert Pelletier resigned from his Ward 4 position.

“It was a very tough decision,” he said Tuesday from an empty Council Chambers. “All I wanted to do was my job, and help my constituents.”

The announcement came just two days before Pelletier was scheduled to appear before the city’s Board of Canvassers to discuss his eligibility for office. Pelletier moved out of Ward 4 in June 2011 after he could no longer afford his mortgage payments in the wake of a divorce. His property on Laconia Road was sold in a short sale, and he moved into the city’s first ward, in a move he says was always meant to be temporary.

“I had planned on moving back right from the beginning,” he said.

“I never anticipated it taking so long. It’s difficult because there are only so many places you can rent in Ward 4 that are affordable, plus I had my dog,” he added, noting that not all rental properties accept pets like his Schnoodle named Buddy.

Pelletier, who has since moved back into his ward, called this the “lowest point in my personal life,” and said part of his reason for resigning is so his personal and financial hardships will no longer be played out in the public spotlight.

“I do not want to waste any taxpayers’ time and money fighting something as trivial as where I slept after my home was sold at a short sale,” he said in his announcement Monday.

It was not until December of 2011 that the Board of Canvassers received an anonymous letter, tipping them off that Pelletier was no longer living in his ward. The city charter states that an elected official must take up “actual residence” in the ward in which they live.

The board, believing it was an issue for the City Council, did not take immediate action. At their Jan. 4 meeting, however, the council’s legal counsel advised them not to take a vote, instead pushing the issue right back to the BOC.

Reaction to the news was mixed, with party officials criticizing Pelletier for not coming clean right off the bat, and giving voters a reason to distrust public officials. Some constituents felt the same, speaking before the City Council to urge them to protect their rights and remove Pelletier from his seat.

Other voters defended the councilman, citing his record of helping his community and keeping an open line of communication with constituents. Council President Tony Lupino pointed to the current economic climate, and reminded his council colleagues how easily one of them could find themselves in a similar situation.

On Monday, Pelletier made the decision for them.
He admits living outside the ward was not ideal, but also expressed frustration that the matter became fodder for public debate.

“I don’t know how this all started. It just seems like it was a big waste of energy over something so trivial as where I slept,” he said.

Although the letter informing the Board of Canvassers of Pelletier’s situation was anonymous, he has no doubt that his circumstances were not helped by division among council members.

“I know it all stems from me supporting Tony Lupino for Council President. It seems like people are holding grudges from that,” he said. “All they’ve done is divided the party even further by making this a main media attention type event.”

Now that he’s leaving the council, Pelletier is hopeful that the council can move forward in a more positive way.

“They have to stop fighting with themselves. They have to start working together as a team – a team of council members, not as party members,” he said.

Pelletier’s resignation creates a vacancy in his ward. According to City Clerk Maria Wall, the council must now appoint a Democrat from that ward to fill the seat, as the vacancy has passed the first six months of his term. In addition, the council must elect a new council vice president, and designate a new finance chair and council emergency management liaison – all roles that Pelletier filled.

Democratic City Committee Chairman Mike Sepe explained that the Ward 4 Democratic Committee will likely meet soon to discuss their options, as interested parties step forward and submit their names for the running. The ward committee then submits a name to Sepe, who passes that along to the Democrats on the council before a vote is taken.

“It should be done at least by the next council meeting,” Sepe said.

Looking back on his three years as a councilman, Pelletier admits that most of the memories are pleasant. He has enjoyed working with constituents, fighting for responsible development in western Cranston, is proud of his perfect attendance record and is glad to see that the Natick Avenue Bridge is near completion, as that was an issue he campaigned on in 2008.

“I’m proud of some good work we did on the council. I enjoyed knowing people in the community benefited from something I was a part of. I got satisfaction when I could give constituents some sort of resolution. That’s what made it worthwhile,” he said.

Pelletier says he has no plans of running for his seat again this fall.

“I don’t think so,” he said, “but you never know.”

Even if he doesn’t run, residents can expect to see Pelletier in the future.

“Will I run again? I don’t know. I’ll be active in some capacity,” he said.