01:00 AM EST on Friday, February 2, 2007

By Maria Armental

Journal Staff Writer

CHARLESTOWN — Citing work commitments, former Town Solicitor Peter D. Ruggiero officially declined his appointment as Planning Commission attorney last week.

“Serving the Town of Charlestown’s legal needs for the past few years as its town solicitor has been a wonderful experience for me,” Ruggiero wrote in his Jan. 24 letter.

“I want to sincerely thank the Town Council for its generous offer to continue serving the town as legal counsel to the Planning Commission. However, based on my current practice commitments, I must decline,” the 52-year-old Warwick lawyer wrote.

Council President Katharine H. Waterman said she was saddened by the news.

“I understand Mr. Ruggiero’s position,” Waterman said. “From the Town of Charlestown’s [position], I’m devastated because he was not only an attorney, he had also a master’s in [community] planning” and is probably one of the best planning attorneys in the state, she said.

Ruggiero has also worked in the past as a town planner.

His appointment as Planning Commission attorney on Jan. 11 was seen as a compromise by the new council to maintain some continuity on the town’s legal representation and quell rumors that the majority in power were trying to hamper the town’s defense of its zoning ordinances, currently under legal scrutiny.

“His loss is Charlestown’s loss,” Waterman said.

“I can’t blame him” for resigning, Council Vice President Harriet A. Allen said. “It’s rather expected.

“Peter is a decent, honorable [man]. He wants to be able to do what’s right for the town, and he was placed in a position where he could not do that,” Allen said. “He was no longer in a position to defend the town or the citizens of the town against a lawsuit.”

Allen said she expects the council to vote on posting the position at the next council meeting on Feb. 12. A council workshop is expected to be held on Wednesday.

“His position is going to be properly advertised and is going to be subject to a thorough review of résumé, an interview process and selection according to approved procedure,” Waterman said Thursday, “because the last two appointments – Town Administrator Edward M. Barrett and Town Solicitor Robert E. Craven – were not subject to any procedure whatsoever, and as far as I’m concerned, both positions were filled illegally.”

“I’m not going to subject the citizens of Charlestown to that kind of malfeasance,” she said.

At its next meeting, the council is also expected to take up discussion of a resident-driven recall petition and a resolution in support of open government.

Councilmen James M. Mageau and John O. Craig Jr. did not return calls for comment. Councilman Bruce W. Picard could not be reached for comment.

marmenta@projo.com