Commentary: East Providence council can find common ground

By Brian Faria
Posted 12/6/16

With the support of a 5-0 vote for Mayor James Briden and Assistant Mayor Robert Britto, your newly elected City Council placed their faith in them to issue us forward with an honest, balanced, and …

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Commentary: East Providence council can find common ground

Posted

With the support of a 5-0 vote for Mayor James Briden and Assistant Mayor Robert Britto, your newly elected City Council placed their faith in them to issue us forward with an honest, balanced, and democratic leadership representing all wards. Although, in appearance from the votes at our Inauguration ceremony, one could surely differ in opinion and with fact, but I refuse to believe that we do not have a common ground.
From personal conversations with each Council member, we did agree on a few important things and I will have hope that that agreement remains. There are many challenges for us as a city on the road ahead. Challenges that are far more important to focus our energy on, than any personal differences that we might have.
With Mayor Briden at the helm, we believed that he was the most loyal, hard-working, and capable candidate to navigate the city through the next seven city contracts, as well as understand the merits and elements of the legal aspects of upcoming responsibilities.
We also placed our faith in Assistant Mayor Robert Britto to bring his prior experiences, whether positive or not, to the table, in our oftentimes difficult decision-making. I believe that the five council members also agree that the times of “Divide and Conquer” should be lost in our past and combining our strength, heart, wisdom, and integrity will only prove to be a time and money saver for all residents and employees. Presently, we are absolutely in need of the time and money saving option. There is a role that we develop and carry out and it is either constructive or detrimental. We could all share in the benefits of the council's and city employees healthy working relationships, while each remains humble but assertive in their positions. We must not forget why we are here and how we got here.
In a properly functioning democratic society, there is a lot of give and take in politics. We should be sure to ethically represent both at one time or another, and to all, friend or foe. Although, it is not necessary for your Council members and their families to share Christmas dinner with each other, it is necessary however, for the residents and employees to sit with their families and friends at Christmas dinner, and thank God for the wise choices that they have made by electing each one of us as their representatives.
Mr. Faria is the recently elected councilman from Ward 4

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