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| Mageau doesn't think Deputy Dan ran an honest investigation |
Mageau plans to drop “bombshell”
By Will Collette
Actually, it’s more likely going to be a stink bomb, rather than a bombshell, but Charlestown’s most beloved citizen, Jim Mageau, is on the agenda early on in next Monday’s Town Council meeting under “Persons Wishing to Be Heard.”
Based on a news release which apparently only the Chariho Times has decided to use (see current print edition), Mageau intends to stand before the Council and denounce Council Vice-President “Deputy Dan” Slattery’s “investigation” of allegations by an “anonymous” citizen (Jim Mageau).
According to an article in the current Chariho Times, Mageau believes Deputy Dan Slattery engaged in a cover-up of an illegal conspiracy led by Town Administrator William DiLibero, Parks & Rec Director Jay Primiano and Economic Improvement Commission chair Frank Glista to create a fraudulent non-profit which would then bilk the unsuspecting public out of their hard-earned cash. Here is a link to a part of the article - for the full story, you'll have to buy the paper.
Deputy Dan’s highly unorthodox investigation ended with the conclusion that there was no illegal activity.
Now comes Mr. Mageau, intent on digging up this terrible scandal and making all the criminals involved with it pay dearly.
The highly illegal activity that has Mageau so worked up is a support group called Friends of Ninigret, now a sub-group of the EIC Commission and their effort to seek donations from festival goers for the benefit and upkeep of Ninigret Park
Their first attempt at putting out a collection lock-box didn’t do so well, attracting only $23 in donations. Of course Mageau disputes that only $23 was raised and that someone must have stolen it. Of course, he has not a shred of evidence.
Mageau also charged that pamphlets suggesting donations to Friends of Ninigret would be tax-deductible were wrong, and that this is “a very serious violation of the law.”
This issue was discussed at the October Town Council meeting without a clear resolution about whether donations are tax-deductible. Town Solicitor Peter Ruggeiro described circumstances under which the donations would be deductible.
But it seems unlikely the people who dropped $23 in bills and coin plan to claim a deduction,. Council members seemed satisfied at the October meeting that this issue will be properly addressed.
The first reading of a new ordinance that would formalize the relationship of Friends of Ninigret to the Town is also on the agenda for Monday night.
It’s pretty remarkable to see Jim Mageau launch this new crusade over what appears to be very trivial matters. While I agree with Mageau that Deputy Dan Slattery conducted a really awful – as well as inappropriate, if not weird – investigation, I think Slattery couldn’t help himself. In fact, that’s why I call him “Deputy Dan.” Despite the goofy way he handled it, I think Slattery came up with the correct result. How he got there deserves questions.
As for Mageau’s attack on DiLibero and Primiano, this has more to do with Mageau’s full-throated defense of his ally and student, Councilor Lisa DiBello than any real wrong-doing. Any time Mageau can attack DiBello’s enemies, he will take it.
And the hatred Mageau bears toward Frank Glista has been a feature of Charlestown Charlestown
Mageau also seems blind to the consequences of this line of attack. It only serves to dredge up memories of his years of combat with Harriet Allen and others over Mageau’s botched “West Fest” enterprise that not only failed but cost many people a lot of money.
And finally, there’s the scandal of Lisa DiBello’s mangled management of the non-profit charity, A Ray of Hope. If Mageau is concerned about violations of non-profit law, let him take a very hard look at A Ray of Hope.
Oops, he can’t look very hard at it because DiBello will not disclose public records about her non-profit, in violation of federal law.
We’ll have more on other juicy items on Monday night’s Town Council agenda in later articles.