Town Councilmen Resigned, Protest Redacted Invoices

COVENTRY, RI — Tomorrow’s Coventry City Council assembly shall be quick Dist. 3 and and Dist. 5 representatives after the 2 City Councilmen resigned Monday, protesting stonewalled makes an attempt to entry un-redacted invoices for City Solicitor Stephen Angell’s companies.

Councilman Scott Copley and Dist. 5 Councilman James LeBlanc’s names had been faraway from the Coventry City Council contact net web page Monday evening, and every posted resignation letters that they had submitted earlier that day to the Coventry City Clerk.

Councilmen Resigned, protest incomplete entry to solicitor invoices

Throughout his profitable Dist. 3 Coventry Town Council run, Scott Copley mentioned he needed to problem politicians who don’t take heed to the folks, which he says he can do higher now that he’s resigned.

“It’s with deep remorse, that I can not serve on this corrupt City Council. One that permits willfull violations of the Residence rule Constitution and State regulation. This City Council additionally permits Solicitor Angell to run wild and do no matter he desires. Vice President Verducci together with the Solicitor tried to make false allegations in opposition to me saying I used to be threatening President Lima. I consider being off the Council I can serve the taxpayers higher and maintain this City Council accountable for his or her actions,” Copley wrote on Fb Monday evening.

Along with resigning from the City Council, LeBlanc additionally resigned from his positions as Chairman of the Coventry Sewer Subcommittee, as member the Coventry Municipal Hearth Fee, and as member of the Coventry Finance Committee.

“Please know I attempted my greatest for the taxpayers and residents of this city. We’ve a fantastic city – hope somebody will run in District 3 that won’t solely characterize District 3, however all residents and taxpayers,” LeBlanc wrote on his personal Fb web page, sharing a letter he had additionally submitted to the City Clerk.

Each City Councilmen resigned after stalled makes an attempt to entry un-redacted variations of invoices submitted by Coventry City Solicitor Stephen Angell, who earned local praise and headlines leading the public domain taking of Johnson’s Pond in 2024.

In LeBlanc’s resignation letter, he repeats his concern, raised in the course of the March 11  and March 25 conferences, that the City Solicitor contract has provisions straight violating the Coventry Residence Rule City Constitution.  “But no motion has been taken by this Council to rectify the violations,” LeBlanc wrote.

LeBlanc mentioned that Angell’s engagement letter prohibits Coventry’s Treasurer/Finance Director from being in a position to assessment the unredacted invoices as required by Coventry’s Home Rule Charter, Section 10.14 (e) which states: “pre–audit all payments, invoices, payrolls and different proof of claims or expenses in opposition to the city and see that finances appropriations are not exceeded by any disbursements in any division, workplace, or company of the city, together with the Faculty Division“.

LeBlanc’s letter additionally said that the “City Solicitor, per the audited FY2023 monetary statements, was over-budget by $352,064. The Authorized Division’s FY2024 permitted finances was $486,000, whereas precise FY2024 bills per inside monetary statements ballooned to $898,395, ensuing in the Authorized Division being over-budget once more by an astronomical $412,395.”

LeBlanc wrote that Council President Hilary Lima, by permitting this violation of the constitution, and refusing to handle it, had invoked one other provision, part 3.04, titled “Forfeiture of Workplace,” which says, “A Council member shall forfeit workplace if the member (1) lacks, at any time throughout the time period of workplace, any {qualifications} for the workplace prescribed by this Constitution, or by regulation; (2) violates any categorical provision of this Constitution; or (3) is convicted of a crime involving ethical turpitude.” 

Clearly, LeBlanc wrote, “The Council President stays on the City Council, regardless of Coventry’s Residence Rule Constitution part 3.04 demanding her forfeiture of workplace. The Council President is the solely individual in Coventry at present reviewing and approving the unredacted invoices from the City Solicitor on a month-to-month foundation for at least the previous two years – per the present and former Angell Legislation, LLC engagement letters – an administrative responsibility, which violates Coventry’s Residence Rule Constitution part 3.08; the consequence for violations is undeniably addressed in Constitution part 3.04.”

Copley echoed LeBlanc’s misgivings, together with the Council’s refusal to place their considerations on the assembly agendas, itemizing that among the many causes the councilmen resigned.

“I am deeply involved by the persistent failure to place essential gadgets on the City Council agenda. These requests have been ignored in blatant violation of the guidelines and rules that govern our work. Amongst the gadgets disregarded are these addressing clear violations of Residence Rule Constitution Article III, Part 3.08, the place President Lima has taken on administrative duties by reviewing and remitting unredacted invoices from the Solicitor,” he  wrote.

“This is not solely a breach of protocol however additionally a direct violation of Part 10.14, merchandise E, which mandates that all payments, invoices, and payrolls be reviewed by the Finance Director for audit earlier than cost. At present, the Finance Director is solely reviewing redacted invoices, undermining the transparency and accountability that our residents deserve,” Copley  wrote in his resignation letter as each councilmen resigned.

Calls, emails and messages to Lima and Council Vice President JP Verducci weren’t instantly returned Monday evening. Warwick Put up will replace this story as extra data turns into accessible.