The Charlestown Citizens Alliance is so blinded by power, they do not see they have become what they originally opposed.
Recently they posted a video on their website highlighting the negative actions of a former town councilor, which they use to show government at its worst. I don’t think they see they are behaving in exactly the same manner, minus the cursing.
They used to believe that “any council member could add items to the agenda,” as stated in the meeting minutes from April 14, 2008, by a councilor who is a financial donor to the CCA. But now they have no problem voting to remove agenda items submitted by their fellow councilors who are not part of the CCA.
Do they not see the hypocrisy?
In the video, while showing that discussions were held outside of the open meeting, they highlighted part of a meeting when the former councilor said “we discussed” when referring to his conversation with another councilor. Did the CCA not watch the Feb. 9, 2022, Town Council agenda-setting meeting? Did they not once again see their hypocrisy? During this meeting, a CCA councilor stated, “We’ve all discussed this ...” when attempting to justify why they were voting to remove council President Deb Carney’s agenda item regarding conducting a forensic / internal controls audit.
If anyone that has seen the video depicting “bad” behavior from a councilor, I recommend watching the Feb. 9, 2022, Town Council agenda meeting. You will see the CCA-endorsed councilors exhibiting the same bad behavior as the man in their video. You will see what they don’t. The CCA councilors exhibiting an abuse of power. Government at its worst.
Their video highlights a meeting of a former councilor kicking another councilor to get him to behave a certain way. Does the CCA not see the parallels between that and the unofficial leader of the CCA, who is also the chair of the Planning Commission, actually calling in to a meeting and giving a motion to a CCA councilor? This councilor actually said she wanted to amend a motion, “to include the language that Ruth Platner suggested.”
Which is worse? Kicking someone under the dais, or feeding someone lines?
While the Charlestown Citizens Alliance may not see that they have become what they originally opposed, many of us see it crystal clear.
I ask you to vote for the candidates that will encourage open dialogue and listen to all voices, and not be blinded by power. They are, for Town Council; Deb Carney, Grace Klinger, Lorna Persson, Rippy Serra and Stephen Stokes; Patty Stamps and Gabrielle Godino for Planning Commission and Charlie Beck for Moderator.
Jodi Frank, Charlestown
This article appeared as a Letter To the Editor in The Westerly Sun on October 28, 2022.
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