The Facts Speak for Themselves.
Deborah Carney, Charlestown Town Council President
When you have the truth on your side, the facts speak for
themselves.
The author of the recent letter, “Charlestown council limits
public participation,” (6/25/23) made several false statements.
Fact: The current Council did not initiate a “new” policy,
nor did this Council announce a “new” policy.
Contrary to what the letter writer claimed, the public comment policy
has been in effect for more than 20 years.
Fact: Town Council Rule 6 provides that individuals be given
the opportunity to speak at Council meetings for a two-minute duration during
the “Public Comment” item on the agenda for items not on the agenda. The policy
further states that “the President may permit comment from the floor at an
appropriate time of not more than one comment per speaker for a two (2) minute
duration if such comment is relative to a specific agenda matter.”
Fact: Rules that have been in existence for 20
years are not new. (The Town Council rules and procedures were adopted on December 13, 2004).
If anyone is interested in watching years of past meetings,
it is obvious that I am very liberal with encouraging public comment.
Fact: The Council president did not, “announce the policy
one day later at the Charter Revision Advisory Committee meeting where no
public comment is allowed at all.”
Fact: The Charlestown Charter, C-165 states, “All regularly
scheduled public meetings held by the Town Council, and all Boards and Commissions
will require an agenda item for public comment.” During the last Charter
Revision Advisory Committee meeting, I noted that the current Charter does not
include “committees” in the list of public bodies that require “public
comment.” I did not state a “new policy”; I read from the Charter.
I will note that just because “committee” is not included in
that list, that does not prevent a committee from permitting public comment. In
fact, the letter writer spoke multiple times during the one Charter Revision Advisory Committee meeting
she attended.
Fact: Over the past few years, certain CCA supporters have
repeatedly spread misinformation. These
individuals do not care about the facts or presenting the truth. Enough
already.
Like my fellow Councilor, Stephen Stokes, I also urge you to watch the Council videos on the town’s website, www.charlestownri.gov, and hear the discussion for yourself. If anyone would like to contact me, my email address is Deb.Carney@charlestownri.gov.
EDITOR’S END NOTE: The opening to Deb’s rebuttal letter
to former CCA town councilor Bonnita Van Slyke, resembles a great quote
attributed to Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes:
“If you’re weak on the facts and strong on the law, pound the law. If you’re weak on the law and strong on the facts, pound the facts. If you’re weak on both, pound the table.”
Since stepping down from the Town
Council, Van Slyke has become de facto CCA Propaganda Minister, peppering the Westerly
Sun with nonsense letters full of misstatements, misinterpretations and, dare I
say it, outright lies.
I suspect that much of Van Slyke’s
material comes from her mistress Ruth Platner, the CCA’s actual leader and also
Charlestown Planning Commissar.
I wish the Sun would do some
fact-checking before letting its pages be used for the CCA’s fake news. – Will Collette