Readers ask what they can do now that the CCA has “Killed Bill”
By Will Collette
The vicious character assassination by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) that led to Thursday night’s resignation by Town Administrator William DiLibero is still sending shock waves through Charlestown .
Town staff don’t know whether the CCA attack on town workers will stop at DiLibero or whether other town employees will also be pushed out.
Fortunately for town staff, they are all protected by some form of collective bargaining agreement.
That includes town department heads, who have organized themselves into a professionals’ association.
Fortunately for town staff, they are all protected by some form of collective bargaining agreement.
That includes town department heads, who have organized themselves into a professionals’ association.
Whereas DiLibero’s contract with the town boiled down to him serving at the pleasure of the Town Council, the contracts protecting other town staff do not, as Deputy Dan Slattery would put it, “legally, morally or ethically” permit the CCA Council majority to fire staff without a process, including due process, and cause.
So, to respond to readers’ questions, here is what I suggest you all consider doing. Please pick and choose from this list, or if you really feel motivated, do them all. Here goes:
- Make sure you are registered to vote AND vote. Starting with the Tuesday, April 24 Presidential Primary, voters will be required to show a government-issued photo ID.
- Educate yourself. When we write articles here on Progressive Charlestown, we include lots of links to original documents and to earlier pieces that put current acts in historical context. It will be hard to talk about our complex little political culture unless you do some homework. Whether you start by reading our stuff and go to the linked records and files, or use some other method, be informed so you can make informed decisions.
- Go to Town Council and Planning Commission meetings. These are the two key places where the CCA is doing the most damage. They also do considerable mischief within the Budget Commission and the Charter Revision Advisory Committee (CRAC).
- Speak out at those meetings.
- Write letters to the editor of the Westerly Sun and the Chariho Times.
- Run. If you’re ready to make the substantial commitment of time and energy, consider running for town office. All five Council seats and four Planning Commission seats will be up for grabs. If you intend to run under a particular party label, you should contact that party’s Town Committee.
- Work on candidates’ campaigns. The CCA slate will present voters with a record they will have to defend. The choices for town voters in 2012 should be pretty clear. When you know where YOU stand and see that there are candidates who believe the same, give them a hand.
- Also give them money. While it’s too early in the election season to give to specific candidates’ campaign funds, you can donate to party organizations. For example, if you want to help the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee to Make
- Think about your own unique skills and talents. Besides the generic list I’ve just given, think about what you are good at and are willing to do to help make Charlestown a better place. To win against the anticipated influx of out-of-state millionaire money CCA will probably receive, it will take money, so if your unique talents lend themselves to helping to either raise campaign cash or get the word out around
- Be a complainer or a whistleblower. We know that some of you are in a position to know much more about what goes on behind the scenes in the many CCA-related stories we’ve covered on Progressive Charlestown. Contact us in strictest confidence if you have information or evidence of wrongdoing at progressivecharlestown@gmail.com. We will conduct our own investigation to independently verify what we are told. Similarly, law enforcement agencies, such as the State Attorney General or the RI Ethics Commission ethics@ethics.ri.gov, are responsible for going after lawbreakers
So don’t despair and don’t just get angry. There must be at least one thing on the list above that you can do to help restore sanity to our beautiful town. Start now. Start today.
