EP Council Hires Paul Lemont as Interim City Manager

The East Providence City Council voted to bring former City Manager Paul Lemont back to run the office he left a decade ago on an interim basis Thursday, though he said he'd like to stay a few years.

The vote was 4 to 1, with Council President Jim Briden voting against. Instead, Briden backed his recommendation for the job, state-appointed Financial Advisor Paul Luba. 

Lemont's first day back will be Monday. Shortly after the vote to hire him for the interim City Manager post, the Council, on Councilor Chrissy Rossi's suggestion and Lemont's agreement, negotiated his salary on the spot, in open session. 

Lemont said he would come relatively cheap, since he didn't need health insurance or a retirement allowance. Lemont's sole condition was that he should make more than the police and fire chiefs. He and the Council settled on the position's advertised base salary: $125,000.

The Council fired City Manager Peter Graczykowski last Tuesday, leaving them in need of an interim City Manager.  

Lemont himself left the City Manager's office in 2003, he said, after a successful lawsuit against the City cost him the support of three City Council members. He had spent 14 years in the office. "I didn't want to leave then," Lemont said, "I didn't see my job as finished."

Lemont, 73, said he'd like to win the job back permanently, and keep it at least a few years before retiring for good. He said he was outraged when he learned the state had assumed financial control of the City with a Budget Commission. "When I realized the State of Rhode Island was taking over this fine city, I was incensed," Lemont said, "I was embarrassed."

After Thursday's meeting, Lemont said he figured East Providence was led to the necessity when the wrong people were put in charge. 

For the future, Lemont said he'd call a leadership meeting of the city's directors with the intent of allowing the city to take pride in itself again. He said when he was City Manager, the city was a fun place to work and can be again. 

Lemont said he didn't foresee any trouble in his working relationship with Briden, the sole vote against him for the job. "My job will be to convince him that I am the right guy to do the job," Lemont said.