Council names Police Chief Parella as new acting East Providence manager

Moore returns to role as Finance director

By Mike Rego
Posted 6/28/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — The City of East Providence will in fact have a new manager after the council at a special session called for Wednesday night, June 27, voted to remove Finance Director Malcolm …

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Council names Police Chief Parella as new acting East Providence manager

Moore returns to role as Finance director

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — The City of East Providence will in fact have a new manager after the council at a special session called for Wednesday night, June 27, voted to remove Finance Director Malcolm Moore from his interim position and replace him with Police Chief Christopher Parella for what is assumed the final six months of the term.

The council took great pains to say Mr. Moore was not being terminated, but reassigned back to his former position as city side Finance Department director. Several members offered praise for his years of service to the city and his performance in Finance. The move, however, comes just four months after he was elevated into the role as interim manager following the firing of then-manager Tim Chapman.

“I just want to thank the council for their kind words. It’s an honor to work here,” Mr. Moore said upon the 4-1 vote to make the change. “It’s been interesting. I spoke to the mayor (At-Large member Jim Briden). I understand his reasoning…It’s going to be a seamless transition…I understand the situation and I’m fine with it.”

Speaking prior to the vote, Mr. Briden said of his decision to support placing Chief Parella in the manager’s position, “It’s an unusual situation. In all my years in city hall, in city halls, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Mr. Briden was referring to matters made public recently at a pair of other special sessions of the council where investigations into the conduct of Ward 4 representative Brian Faria were openly aired.

Among the claims against the first-term councilor were alleged interference in personnel matters and day-to-day operations of the city, actions forbidden to council members by city charter, and improper access of law department records in late April of this year.

“Let’s be clear, the reason why we’re here this evening is because of events that occurred on April 27 and 28,” said Ward 1 Councilor Bobby Britto. “We need to return law and order to city hall. That’s the reason why we’re here this evening.”

Mr. Faria was not present at a June 20 public hearing despite receiving a subpoena from his fellow councilors to appear and another subpoena to return any documents he may have been in possession of from his time spent April 27-28 in the law department offices. At the June 20 meeting, Chief Parella and EPPD Captain Mike David, currently serving as the city’a acting Human Resources director, detailed the alleged infractions of Mr. Faria.

This past Wednesday’s meeting had the potential to go off the rails and it nearly did at times as Mr. Faria, who claimed to have suffered an injury in the days before the June 20 hearing, questioned the integrity of the investigations into his actions. He repeatedly claimed he was denied due process and said he had never been aware of any issues city employees may have had with him.

As part of the June 27 proceedings, the council also passed four items specifically in response to Mr. Faria’s supposed missteps: permitting access to city hall for councilors only during business offices, taking swipe keys for the building away from councilors and eliminating an office for councilors in city hall. The council also voted to have the solicitor’s office research a potential charter amendment which would strengthen and clarify the council’s ability to remove a peer from office. Any potential charter amendment would need voter approval and to be placed on the November 2018 ballot, it must be submitted to the Board of Canvessing by August 6.

Throughout the June 27 discussion, Mr. Faria continued to express his displeasure with the process. And when he persisted he was being wronged and was unable to mount a defense, Mr. Britto chimed in, “You should have been at the (June 20) meeting then.”

During the discussion of the proposed change in manager, Mr. Faria repeatedly used the term “termination” when referring to Mr. Moore. He also referred to past comments made by his peers either supporting Mr. Moore or in opposition to removing Mr. Chapman at the time. He further wondered why, if the other councilors were so pleased the performance of the former, would they be making another switch atop the city’s administrative structure. Mr. Faria ultimately cast the lone vote against the move.

“This has nothing to with Malcolm,” Ward 3 Councilor Joe Botelho said in explaining his position. “He’s been a marvelous city employee. He’s the ultimate team player.”

Mr. Botelho continued the sports metaphor, saying as New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick makes adjustments during football games, the council, similarly, needed to adapt to recent events.

“Just like Coach Belichick does what’s good for his football team, I’m just trying to do what’s good for the City of East Providence,” Mr. Botelho added. “Malcolm is not being eliminated from city hall. He’s just going back to his regular duties as finance director.”

Before casting her vote in support of the change, along with Messrs. Botelho, Briden and Britto, Ward 2 Councilor Anna Sousa questioned if it were prudent to have Chief Parella take on the same dual roles as Mr. Moore had previously.

In response, Mr. Britto noted the chief, as he would do as manager with department heads, already similarly oversees an administrative staff of captains and lieutenants within the EPPD ranks, which affords him knowledge and understanding of how to do both. Per the resolution to install Chief Parella as interim manager, he will also be able to bring a current member of his staff to city hall to serve in an assistant’s capacity.

Upon the vote authorizing the change, the council went into a brief executive session. When it emerged, it was reported out the chief would receive additional compensation to make his pay commensurate with that of previous managers, upping his annual salary by about $40,000 to approximately $150,000.

“I would like to thank the council for having confidence in me,” Chief Parella said from the dais where he joined the council when it returned to open session. “I would like the public to know Chief Parella did not ask for this. Chief Parella did not lobby for this. Chief Parella has no political ambitions…Like any other assignment, there is a task I need to do.”

The chief continued, “When your employer asks you to so something, you have no choice. You step up and rise to the challenge. Like I have as police chief, every decision I make will be in the best interest of the city.”

Chief Parella said a key aim of his tenure as interim manager will be to return a sense of decorum to city hall, improve the workplace environment.

“It’s important we change our whole tune. We need to make city hall a more dignified, respectable place to work,” the chief added. “Employees should not have any added stress when they’re trying to do their jobs.”

Concluded Mr. Briden, “I want to reiterate how the council appreciates what the chief is doing. His willingness to do so is greatly appreciated.”

The changes in personnel took effect upon the start of business Thursday morning, June 28.

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