CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE
RHODE ISLAND
JOURNAL OF SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
November 8, 2013
Council Chambers, City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914
5:00 P.M. Open Session
Mayor Briden calls the meeting to order at 5:07PM
Mayor Briden asks Solicitor Chapman to explain the process.
Solicitor Chapman states this is an open meeting under the open meetings law where Council can mention a candidate for the position but cannot discuss a candidate’s character, physical or mental health. If Council does choose to pick a candidate or several candidates and wants to put that person’s name forward and wants to interview or have at a meeting, the Council is required to give the candidate notice and the ability to choose an open or closed session. This has to be conducted in writing.
Councilwoman Rossi asked if they could discuss their qualifications.
Solicitor Chapman stated Council could discuss them in general terms only and since they are Acting City Manager only they don’t necessarily have to meet all the qualifications as listed in the Charter. Since they would be acting and emergency in nature the leeway is greater.
Mayor Briden asked if the residency requirement for a permanent City Manager was still in effect as the voters approved a referenda question negating that.
Solicitor Chapman stated there is a question as to whether or not this was ratified by the General Assembly.
Mayor Briden asked if this is not in effect would a City Manager still have that 7 month period.
Solicitor Chapman states yes.
Mayor Briden states the Council’s objective is to submit names of individuals and then schedule a special meeting and draft a hiring resolution and as a practical matter a week from now would be the earliest to conduct this.
Solicitor Chapman adds if there is more than one candidate the Council can decide to interview and the candidates choose an open or closed session.
Councilman Cunha requests Council members go in alphabetical order and list who they would like to see reviewed for appointment.
Mayor Briden puts Fiscal Advisor Luba’s name forward.
Mr. Luba states that his short answer is yes he would consider this as a caveat he does work for the State as well as the City and is not sure if a potential conflict would exist. Mayor Briden adds the state could fill the position on an interim basis.
Councilman Cunha asks if Mr. Luba lives in the City.
Mr. Luba states he does not and would not move as this would be just an interim situation and he would return to his duties as Fiscal Advisor after this was completed.
Councilwoman Capobianco states that she passes on listing a name at this time.
Councilman Cunha puts forward the name of Paul Lemont former City Manager for the City of East Providence.
Councilwoman Rossi states she would be happy if Mr. Luba was able to serve in the interim and if not then she would put the name of Malcolm Moore, Director of Finance forward.
Assistant Mayor Rose stated a gentleman who just walked in today, Stephen Hartford, is interested in the interim position and would like to put Mr. Hartford’s name forward, he is the former Town Manager of Westerly.
Solicitor Chapman states they did receive an email with a resume from Mr. Hartford today for the interim position.
Councilwoman Capobianco states she will look into all 4 names submitted.
Solicitor Chapman asked the City Clerk to send out notices to all 4 individuals for a Special Meeting and whether or not they are interested in attending and if interested if they would like the meeting to be in open or closed session. The notices will go out on Tuesday for a Special Meeting for Friday at 4:00PM.
The City Clerk states she will forward resumes earlier to Council if she receives them, will send notice to candidates and will post the Special Meeting by 4:00PM on Wednesday.
A motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:26PM is made by Assistant Mayor Rose, seconded by Councilwoman Rossi and on a roll call vote it is unanimous.
Approved by Council: January 7, 2014
Attest: _______________
City Clerk