Friday, May 24, 2013
The East Providence Budget Commission says that Joseph Tavares was wrongly accused and should not have been placed on leave; it assigns a State Police officer to investigate possible 'criminal' improprieties in the department.
East Providence’s police chief, placed on administrative leave in April by the city manager, was reinstated by the Budget Commission Thursday afternoon with a clean bill of health. The Budget Commission also assigned a RI State Police officer to investigate alleged improprieties and irregularities in the police department that are unrelated to the police chief’s job performance. The resolution that reinstated Police Chief Joseph Tavares reads that: “The Commission has determined, based upon the totality of facts and circumstances brought to its attention in this matter, that i) those faces and circumstances did not warrant Chief Tavares being placed on Administrative Leave; and ii) nor did those facts and circumstances warrant any …
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The East Providence Budget Commission meets today at 3 pm in City Hall and the police chief, who has been on administrative leave, is the first item on the agenda.
East Providence Police Chief Joseph Tavares, placed on administrative leave in April, could learn his fate today at a meeting of the Budget Commission. Several sources indicate he could be reinstated. The commission also will deal with the state-proposed Administration and Finance Officer (AFO) position, which was put on hold when the board relinquished total control of the city in March. Both positions are listed on the agenda for today’s Budget Commission meeting in City Hall at 3 pm. The Budget Commission took back control of personnel matters last month soon after the police chief was placed on administrative leave by City Manager Peter Graczykowski. Mayor James Briden made that request to RI Revenue Director Rosemary Booth Gallogly "…
Friday, May 10, 2013
City Solicitor Tim Chapman rules that the East Providence mayor is the chief elected officer under state law, which always trumps a city charter.
Mayor James Briden has the legal right to select an administrative and finance officer for East Providence, according to a legal opinion issued by the city solicitor. That right has been challenged by Chrissy Rossi, another member of the City Council, who questioned Briden's status as chief elected officer. Briden actually asked for Chapman’s opinion before her challenge. "My interest was in complying with the Rhode Island General Law," Briden said. City Solicitor Timothy Chapman states in his opinion: “The Mayor is the elected CEO in the City of East Providence” under Rhode Island law, which created the East Providence Budget Commission. As the elected CEO, Briden would appoint the AFO if and when the state Revenue Department decides to…
Friday, May 3, 2013
There is no indication, however, when a decision on Police Chief Joseph Tavares will be made by the East Providence Budget Commission.
The results of the investigation into East Providence’s police chief, who was put on administrative leave several weeks ago, is in the hands of the Budget Commission. But there is no indication when the budget board will take any action on that investigation. City Manager Peter Graczykowski provided that update after the Budget Commission met Thursday afternoon to deal with several personnel items – none of which involved Police Chief Joseph Tavares. The situation with the police chief came up when police union president Kevin Feeney asked for information from the budget board after it ran through its posted agenda. “What’s going on? Who’s making the decisions?” Feeney said, recognizing that this personnel matter was not on the agenda …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The board will meet Thursday, May 2, to handle personnel issues -- a request made by Mayor James Briden soon after the police chief was put on administrative leave by the city manager.
The East Providence Budget Commission will reconvene Thursday to weigh in on five personnel matters – none of which involves the police chief, who has been placed on administrative leave. The meeting starts at 3 pm in Room 306 in City Hall. It was the removal of Police Chief Joseph Tavares from his position by City Manager Peter Graczykowski that sparked a decision by Mayor James Briden to ask that the budget board resume its authority over personnel matters. He has said only that he asked for this step "in the best interests of the city." Briden said that this request has been his only connection to the investigation of Tavares. "I have stayed out of this," said Briden. RI Revenue Director Rosemary Booth Gallogly, who controls the …
Friday, March 29, 2013
The East Providence Budget Commission returns control of the city's finances to E.P. officials without an AFO -- for now -- but with a liaison to the City Council as a financial watchdog.
East Providence officials were given back control of the city’s finances Thursday afternoon after almost 16 months of control by the state. The East Providence Budget Commission delegated that authority back to the City Council and School Committee at its final official meeting Thursday afternoon, March 28, in City Hall. Gov. Lincoln Chafee watched on as that transition occurred with many smiles and affirmations. The transition came about officially at 3:29 pm. It went away in December of 2011 when the Budget Commission was appointed by RI Revenue Director Rosemary Booth Gallogly to clean up a city in financial chaos and with millions of dollars in deficit spending. The Budget Commission still exists, though. And it will continue to …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Under an 'exit plan' released four weeks ago, the East Providence Budget Commission will meet for the last time on Thursday afternoon, March 28.
The final meeting of the East Providence Budget Commission takes place Thursday under an "exit plan" released about four weeks ago. It will end the state's control of the city's finances after almost 16 months. The meeting starts at 3 pm in City Hall, Room 306. The dominant agenda item is the first on the docket: a Budget Commisson recommendation "to continue delegation of authority." Under the state law that established the budget board in East Providence, that authority will include a Municipal Administration and Finance Officer to be hired by the city. A less costly "alternative" to an AFO, however, has been under discussion between state and city officials, Mayor James Briden said in a Patch story on Tuesday. He also presented that …
Friday, March 8, 2013
State law mandates that a Municipal Administration and Finance Officer (AFO) be hired in East Providence when the Budget Commission departs. What do you think?
Under a new state general law, East Providence is getting a Municipal Administration and Finance Officer (AFO) when the Budget Commission says goodbye at the end of this month. In short, the position as set up by General Law 45-9-10 will be a new fiscal overseer appointed by the mayor for five years from candidates culled by the state’s revenue director – at a cost to the city of around $100,000 plus benefits each year for five years. The AFO will report directly to East Providence’s mayor, who sees the position as a significant resource and asset to help keep the city on the five-year budget track laid out by the Budget Commission. What do you think? Does E.P. need another financial watchdog? Or does E.P. already have a city manager and …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Five East Providence union contracts signed off on by Budget Commission.
Five union contracts got final approval from the East Providence Budget Commission at its meeting last week. The approvals will be one of the final significant actions taken by the budget board before its leaves the city at the end of this month under the "exit plan" unveiled at the meeting. Contracts for the East Providence Education Association -- the teachers; the Education Secretaries; the Steelworkers; Teachers’ Assistants, and the East Providence Professional, Managerial and Technical Employees Association were signed off on by the budget board. All of the contracts are for five years. They date back to the start of the 2013 fiscal year on Oct. 1 and run through the 2017-18 fiscal year. The union contracts also are similar in pay …
Monday, March 4, 2013
A Municipal Administration and Finance Officer will be coming to East Providence possibly by the end of March, when the Budget Commission plans to leave.
A Municipal Administration and Finance Officer (AFO) is coming to East Providence -- probably by the end of March. That addition to East Providence’s administrative staff was revealed in an “exit plan” unveiled at last Thursday’s Budget Commission meeting for the budget board. The budget board anticipates relinquishing its responsibilities by the end of March. The AFO position is mandated for five years after a budget board departs under RI General Law 45-9-10. The AFO’s principal responsibility under the law: “responsible for the overall budgetary and financial administration" of a municipality. To put that another way, the AFO will be responsibile for making sure East Providence follows guidelines established by the budget board so it …
bad dog
12:10 pm on Friday, May 24, 2013
its a new day! the old games will not work a good cop is back and some bad cops are going to jail. just say no to thugs we will we can we must take are city back! the state police do NOT chase conpiricy theories. the old ways are passing. if you want to run a gang move to prov. the police and all city workers work for us.you cant have your way anymore we will not take it your day is over " R.I.C.… more ›