01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, January 10, 2007

By Maria Armental

Journal Staff Writer

CHARLESTOWN — November’s elections brought about a change in government and a change in attitude on the Town Council.

The once quiet meetings have now become raucous affairs with residents packing the council chambers and spilling over into the hallway. Voices are raised and insults exchanged.

Monday night, residents turned out once again in numbers, pushing the room’s 100-person capacity, this time to ask the council to retain the current town solicitors, who have been working as holdovers from the previous administration.

The council will make the appointments at a special meeting tomorrow.

So far, there has been no discussion by the full council regarding the appointments, and council members have said little of what they plan to do tomorrow, although last Thursday, Councilmen James M. Mageau, John O. Craig Jr. and Bruce W. Picard met in a closed session. It is unclear what was discussed.

The meeting’s agenda lists the reason to go into close session as pending litigation and personnel discussion.

“It was our understanding that the ‘personnel’ matter was about [Town Solicitor Peter D.] Ruggiero’s work hours,” Council Vice President Harriet A. Allen wrote in an open meetings complaint to the attorney general’s office.

Ruggiero’s work hours had been discussed during the public portion of the meeting, Allen said.

“Mr. Mageau then informed us that the ‘personnel’ matter was a ‘personnel incident,’ which he could not disclose to us,” Allen further wrote.

The minutes from the closed session were sealed.

Monday night, Mageau appeared to hint another candidate is being considered for the position, telling residents who were praising the current solicitors, “Without knowing what we are going to do, I don’t see how you can make a fair comparison.”

Mageau declined comment yesterday, taking issue with a Providence Journal headline that read: Angry residents urge resignation of 3 councilmen.

Monday night Mageau did quell concerns that the town’s Indian affairs lawyer Joseph Larisa would not be reappointed.

“I can tell you unequivocally that this Town Council has never discussed replacing Larisa as the Indian tribal lawyer,” he said.

Also to be decided are the reappointments of Ruggiero, Assistant Solicitor and Zoning Board lawyer Christopher J. Zangari, and Probate Court judge, prosecutor and assistant solicitor on education Jennifer Sternick.

The town also retains on an as-needed basis labor attorney Daniel Kinder.

Monday night, several residents admonished the council for its behavior and asked for council members’ resignations.

Former Councilman James F. Cairns urged Mageau and fellow council members John O. Craig Jr. and Bruce W. Picard to forget their pre-election coalition.

“If you are motivated by special interests or revenge or payback, put it behind you and move forward,” Cairns said.

He suggested a “courageous and honorable move” for the three council members would be to resign.

Resident Gabriel Warren went further asking the entire Town Council to “resign en masse and have a special election.”

“I’m absolutely flabbergasted and shocked” at the council’s behavior, Warren said.

So what changed in Charlestown?

“The three new faces,” Allen said. “That’s what happened.”

Allen said she doesn’t know that will happen tomorrow.

“I’m in the dark as to what the coalition government has up their sleeve,” Allen said Tuesday, accusing Mageau, Craig and Picard of favoring special interests.

“The whole thing is about zoning,” Allen said. “It’s about property and about development.

“It’s all that’s ever been about in this town,” she said. “It’s turf warfare over building rights.”

Allen speculated Ruggiero may not be reappointed because he ruffled some feathers with the new council members when he refused to let Picard be sworn in Nov. 20 until he presented a resignation in writing from his paid part-time position at the Charlestown Community Center. Picard submitted his resignation before being sworn in that day.

Allen also referred to Ruggiero’s involvement in a lawsuit filed by the Black Pond Homeowner’s Association, of which she is president, against the town after the project developer failed to deed the open space to the homeowners as contractually agreed. The town solicitor at the time had apparently waived that requirement. Ruggiero became involved in the litigation in his position as the current town solicitor and Planning Commission attorney. The case was settled last year when the developer turned the open space over to the homeowners.

Allen also referred to Ruggiero’s coming defense of the town’s zoning ordinances as a reason he likely won’t be reappointed.

“I believe Ms. Sternick may get the ‘ax’ because she, when compelled to ‘investigate’ [former Town Administrator] Dick Sartor, refused to lie and say that he had committed any act that constituted ‘sexual harassment,’ ” Allen wrote. “Also, I believe Mr. Mageau needs a compliant prosecutions attorney to make good on his promise to investigate and prosecute all those ‘eco-terrorists’ in town who oppose his views and agenda,” Allen wrote.

Zangari, she said, will likely not be reappointed because his advice may be contrary to the interests of a corporation with personal links to Mageau.

In this volatile environment, council members have filed at least three open meetings complaints against each other.

A fourth one was dropped after the council adopted amended minutes Monday night reflecting discussion and a vote taken on Dec. 6 in addition to the names of two residents who attended the meeting.

Waterman, Craig and Picard did not return calls for comment.