Commentary: East Providence councilman-elect Faria questions transparency

EastBayRI.com ·

Transparency.

I was elected by the people to bring transparency to our City Government. I was informed on Friday that all of the appointments had been decided and were final. I have to question the honor and integrity of a Councilman who publicly constructs a ruse to the Attorney General, by requesting the legal guidance on how the Council could meet together as a whole to discuss these appointments, only later to be part of the three in making all these appointments on their own, which are all clearly political.

The City has not been provided with any minutes of this decisive meeting, in which they found their unanimity nor has it been posted. This is clearly violation of the Open Meeting laws and not a way for the new Council Elect to begin their relationship with the people of East Providence. I would suggest that we defer these appointments and collectively meet as a full Council in an executive or open meeting just as it was presented to the Attorney General in selecting these appointments accordingly.

I personally have received a variety of calls from employees at City Hall asking if they still had their jobs so they could tell their families. So I also question the leadership of the Mayor they have chosen who doesn't have the integrity or plain decency to tell those himself they no longer have their positions.

The very same who has discredited all the other members of the Council to each, to achieve his Mayor position, in which case, there is a far difference between what one could legally do and what one should morally do.

Ward 4 Councilman-elect
Brian Faria