How political favoritism has tainted
Charlestown’s tradition of volunteerism
By Deb
Carney
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| "Faith's Folly," a 1.3 mile stretch of asphalt installed in Ninigret Park at the insistence of Faith LaBossiere. This project was sold to the CCA-controlled Town Council at a cost of $7,000 but ended up costing $267,000 PLUS interest. And it's hardly ever used. The fight over this boondoggle led to the CCA gutting the existing membership of the Parks & Rec Commission so they could be replaced with CCA Party loyalists. (Photo by Will Collette) |
These are updated, final text of comments presented before the Charlestown Town
Council on April 10, 2017
Last
month the Council received 20 applications to fill 5 vacancies on the Parks and
Rec Commission.
In an
obvious political move by 4 of the 5 Council members, the 4 voted to appoint
all of fellow CCA member Faith Laboissiere's ad hoc bike path committee members
to fill 4 of the 5 vacancies on the Parks and Rec Commission.
The fifth
appointment, the only non-bike path member, was appointed to fill the term that
will expire in 10 months.
The 4
former bike path members were appointed for 3 year terms. Faith had
previously been appointed to the commission.
Under
Council Comments, several Councilors made a point of saying their decisions
were not political.
The fact
that all 4 the CCA members bike path committee friends got appointed, while 15
other applicants, including several current members of that commission, who
had not served on the bike committee did not, speaks loudly for political
favoritism.
When one bike committee member withdrew his application, both the Town Council president and the CCA bike committee chair contacted him and asked him to withdraw his withdrawal. Which he did.
Did the
Council president reach out to any of the 15 applicants that were NOT on the
bike path committee?
One of
the members who was not reappointed was a United States Olympian who competed in the 1996 Summer
Games in Atlanta. You would think the Town would be proud to
have this former Olympian on their Parks and Rec Commission.
Another
member who was not reappointed is a 15
time Ironman Triathlon competitor. You would think the town
would be proud to have an Ironman Triathlon competitor on their Parks and
Rec Commission.
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| Here is the original budget for "Faith's Folly" from a powerpoint presentation to the Town Council by Faith. |
Over the
past several months, 4 of the 5 Councilors have raved about how wonderful the
bike path is.
Remember,
when this bike path was presented, it was going to cost the taxpayers $7,000.
The final cost is over $300,000. That's 4,000% over budget.
Running projects 4000% over budget is not a fiscally prudent way to run a town nor is that wonderful.
So,
fifteen non-CCA applicants for Parks and Rec were completely ignored.
Favoritism
was clearly shown by 4 of the Town Councilors to a CCA members bike path
committee people.
In the
future, when the Council president reads the list of vacancies, she should let
the resident know that applications will only be considered if their fellow CCA
members or friends don't apply.