Letter to the Editor: Thank You, President Cienki … Not

by | Nov 22, 2017

I am writing in response to the letter by Town Council President Cienki to the residents regarding, “Incorrect cost calculations. Misleading reporting. Cronyism and nepotism. Unapproved agreements. Improper loans. Discriminatory hiring practices.”

Thank you Council President Cienki for your thorough and careful review of what had been taking place in our cozy little town.

I am pleased to know that you and your fellow councilors addressed the issue of cronyism and nepotism. I’m certainly glad to know that Ms. Corrigan was hired after a careful and thorough review of her qualifications and abilities as required by the town charter and the council didn’t rush to appoint her because she was initially recommended from some future politician. I’m also pleased to know this was not guised by the council’s claim of a dire need for an emergency management director. I am also happy to see where this was done in an open and transparent manner and not hidden through an executive session.

It is also reassuring to know that Ms. Corrigan refused to follow in the footsteps of those who allowed their personal connections and relatives to be hired. It was nice to see that Ms. Corrigan didn’t sign a term sheet (contract) with Linda Dykeman on July 11, 2017, and the contents thereof because that was never presented to, nor approved by the Town Council. The same would apply to Ms. Antunes, the chief of staff, where Ms. Corrigan again didn’t sign a term sheet on July 6, 2017, because that too wasn’t presented to, nor approved by the Town Council. Knowing that Ms. Corrigan is a business consultant with Ms. Dykeman and connected with Ms. Antunes through the Hope Club, I feel there was surely safeguards in place to make sure cronyism didn’t exist. I’m sure safeguards were in place to remove any appearance of impropriety. The town surely would have followed their personnel policy by way of advertising, reviewing applicants and making these appointments in an open, transparent and non-discriminatory manner, as I’m sure no males applied for those positions.

Thank goodness, the misleading reporting has vanished since the arrival of Ms. Corrigan. No longer can we expect darkness plague our information. No longer can we expect consultants to be hired behind the taxpayers back. No longer will we see where an acting town manager will tell a Providence Journal reporter that her assistant will receive the same pay as the previous administrative assistant only to find out within two weeks she was given a $20,000 increase from what the administrative assistant had been paid.

President Cienki’s letter says, “We are moving forward to get the Town back on the right path.” If this is going forward, please considers going backwards for a while until we catch up.

Maybe I should have started my letter with Open Meeting Act violations, APRA Violations, Town Charter violations, contracts signed without council approval, misleading unfunded liability statements, discriminatory hiring practices, etc., etc., etc. I guess only the names have changed.

– William Higgins

Value the news you get here on East Greenwich News? As a 501-c3, we depend on reader support. Become a sustaining (monthly) donor or make a one-time donation! Click on the Donate button below or send a check to EG News, 18 Prospect St., East Greenwich, RI 02818. Thanks.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

5 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Alfred T. Payer
Alfred T. Payer
November 22, 2017 12:40 pm

Neighbor Lenihan sees fit to leaflet my front door with her concerns about the direction the town is taking. What prompts this outbreak of civic concern? Why now?

When my tax bill popped 15% in 2014 I heard nothing from her. When the bill declined a munificent 1% for 2017, what did I hear from her? Crickets…

So now Gail ‘Wrong Way’ Corrigan kicks over a few rocks and smashes some iron rice bowls, and she’s shocked, shocked to find a lack of transparency going on here…

Put me on the ‘Friends and Family’ list. I could use one of those $50,000 sweetheart loans to help close a deal I’m trying to swing in North Carolina.

John Galt
John Galt
November 24, 2017 12:16 pm

William Higgins is a former police officer in EG. As a union member, he should be the last one to complain about cronyism, seems to me.

Richard Cashman
Richard Cashman
November 24, 2017 6:42 pm

Perhaps the great carpetbagging management team should learn accounting and Munis software before throwing rocks at former employees. It seems Ms Dykeman needs remedial training on Munis software so that a $1.4 million dollar error isn’t presented to taxpayers and blaming others for the error. Ms. Corrigan and her right hand lackey Ms. Dykeman should be shown the door as rapidly as possible if the Town Manager search is real. Obviously Ms. Cienki likes the creative math from her “team”. She seems to also like creative accounting and may need new batteries in her calculator. Cienki will be dealt with at the ballot box next year. The other two carpetbagger, snake oil saleswomen need to go ASAP!

William Higgins
William Higgins
November 25, 2017 8:41 am

John Galt should get his facts straight, I am not now nor was I a union member for the last 7 years while on the police department. In fact, I was on the management side which is out of the union.

Kathryn carter
Kathryn carter
November 26, 2017 4:11 pm

wasnt mr Higgins letter dripping with sarcasm? Had to be….

RELATED STORIES

Newsletter Sign Up

* indicates required

Archives

Latest Streaming