By Chris Keegan
The Sun Staff
CHARLESTOWN – John Goodman has had enough.
Concerned with the direction of the Town Council in the wake of a tumultuous month in town politics, the local resident has scheduled a public informational meeting at the Quonochontaug Grange on Route 1 (Post Road) this weekend to gauge public sentiment.
“Over the past two months, hundreds of voters have attended council meetings to protest actions taken by Councilors James M. Mageau , John O. Craig Jr. and Bruce W. Picard that threaten to drastically alter the character of our town,” Goodman wrote in a news release. “At a recent meeting to determine which lawyers would represent Charlestown on far-reaching legal matters, these council members even went so far as to remove public comment from the meeting agenda – a serious violation of Constitutional rights.”
Earlier this month, former state prosecutor and lobbyist Robert E. Craven was appointed to serve as town solicitor on a contested 3-2 vote, during one of the most raucous council meetings in recent history.
The trio was later criticized for sharing Craven’s resume with Town Administrator Edward M.
Barrett – but not giving the document to the council president or vice president prior to the Jan.
11 meeting.
Goodman, a registered Republican, accused the trio of handpicking a town solicitor who has “a history of opposing groups who favor reasonable zoning practices.” Craven has represented the developer of the Centre of New England – a large-scale retail and residential complex off Interstate 95 – before the town of Coventry.
Goodman said he is concerned with a perceived lack of council progress and alleged that “secret meetings” were held to discuss the appointment of Craven and town administrator Barrett. He also accused Craig and Picard of “empowering” Mageau ’s behavior and actions, and supporting his agenda in a majority coalition.
Mageau lashed out at council Vice President Harriet A. Allen and several residents during the Jan. 11 meeting, and called one woman a “goddamned carpetbagger” after the council had adjourned. The comments were recorded and later re-broadcast on public access television.
“As these (three) council members continue to disregard public outcry and fail to behave with decorum, a growing number of residents have begun to consider what steps can be taken to ensure that the council recognizes these widespread concerns and acts accordingly,” Goodman wrote.
“Rather than waste valuable time and resources duplicating efforts, it is clear the time has now come to call citizens together, so that we can be prepared to work cooperatively in our common interests of concern for the future of Charlestown.”
Goodman’s meeting is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m.
Though his news release does not mention a potential recall of town council candidates, Goodman reportedly told another newspaper that he and others may ask councilors to adopt a recall provision into Charlestown’s Home Rule Charter.
The amendment would allow elected town officials to be recalled through a special election.
Council President Katharine H.
Waterman said Wednesday that all five members of the council should resign amid the myriad controversies, and called for a new town election.
Mageau has previously called for both Waterman and council Vice President Harriet A. Allen’s resignation.
“Apparently they (Goodman and others) are only calling for three members, but I would just as soon see the entire council resign,” Waterman said.
“Let’s bag the old election and start fresh. I don’t want them to single out three members.”
Responding to Goodman’s concern over the removal of public comment, Craig said residents were given the opportunity to address the council at the regular monthly meeting three days before they voted to appoint Craven.
“They’re late,” he said. “We’re a week to 10 days beyond the incident.
It’s like driving a dead horse into the ground. Let it go… Some of these people are acting just as badly as the people they accuse are doing bad things to the town. They’re not getting their way, so now they’re discrediting everybody. They’re wasting peoples’ time.
They’re getting people hysterical about things that are not even true.”
“I’m still hopeful that I can work together with people on the council,” Craig added. “The people have spoken and made a decision about who they want to put in office. That’s it. No matter how well you get along or don’t get along, there’s going to be times when the council will have the opportunity to work together as a normal council.”
The Sun received Goodman’s news release from Kallie Jurgens, the communications chair for the Rhode Island Statewide Coalition (formerly the Rhode Island Shoreline Coalition). Jurgens said Wednesday that RISC is not affiliated with Goodman’s group, and that her e-mail was sent as a favor to the Charlestown resident.
ckeegan@thewesterlysun.com