Council votes to remove Chapman as East Providence city manager

Finance Director Moore tabbed for interim post

Photos by Rich Dionne; Story by Mike Rego
Posted 3/29/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — The 19-month tenure of City Manager Tim Chapman all but came to an end during a special session of the City Council held Wednesday night, March 28.

At the time and per City …

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Council votes to remove Chapman as East Providence city manager

Finance Director Moore tabbed for interim post

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — The 19-month tenure of City Manager Tim Chapman all but came to an end during a 23-minute special session of the City Council held Wednesday night, March 28.

At the time and per City Charter, the council voted 3-2 to remove Mr. Chapman from the office. Councilors Joe Botelho, Brian Faria and Anna Sousa, the latter the official sponsor of the act, cast their vote in the affirmative. Councilors Jim Briden and Bobby Britto were in the negative. Mr. Chapman left the dais after the tally without making a comment.

Mr. Chapman was jettisoned as manager by the council “without cause” and via a “majority vote of its members,” according to Wednesday’s resolution. The council also on the same 3-2 split voted to appoint City Finance Director Malcolm Moore as acting manager, a measure sponsored by Mr. Faria. Mr. Moore will maintain his position in finance.

“We’re trying to do this amicably,” Mr. Faria said. “This is about moving forward. This is not about moving backwards.”

The removal resolution, pursuant to Section 2-11 of the Charter, allows Mr. Chapman to seek a public hearing on the matter no later than 30 days following the vote. After that point, and if Mr. Chapman does not seek a hearing, the move will become “officially” official.

“I don’t think it’s ever an easy decision to remove an employee from any position,” Ms. Sousa said, adding she would get into the specifics of her reasoning to fire Mr. Chapman if he chose to have a public hearing on the matter. “We’re trying to move the city forward in a good, positive way.”

For all intents and purposes, however, Wednesday’s vote sealed the manager’s fate. Mr. Chapman took over the position after the previous council seated in 2014 similarly voted to relieve then City Manager Richard Kirby of his duties in August of 2016. Mr. Chapman, the sitting city solicitor when Mr. Kirby was canned, was named interim manager at that time. He remained the acting manager until being formally appointed to the post in May 2017 by the current council.

“The city has been moving in the right direction,” said Mr. Britto, expressing his descent. “I look at this as being a distraction.”

It is not the first time Mr. Chapman seemingly ran afoul of the body recently. A special meeting set for early December of last year to conduct a job performance review of the manager, both in executive and public sessions, was canceled late on the scheduled date.

Last week, Mr. Botelho, without getting into specifics, seemingly alluded to Mr. Chapman’s alleged opposition to the upcoming change in the city’s form of government to one of an elected mayor as well as the implementation of four-year terms for elected officials approved by voters some six years ago as his reasons for supporting the change. Like Ms. Sousa, though, he declined to pointedly state his rationale, saying he, too, would do so if Mr. Chapman requested a public hearing.

In expressing his support for the ascension of Mr. Moore, Mr. Botelho used the finance director’s regular attendance and engagement at several Charter Review Commission meetings last year as one example of his commitment to the change.

Mr. Botelho added, “Malcolm is a firm supporter of the will of the people to change the form of government. I have confidence with he as city manager that things will transition smoothly between now and next January.”

In voicing his opposition, Mr. Briden noted Mr. Chapman had received praise from the council for his efforts last budget season and on contract negotiations with city employees among his other accomplishments as manager.

“I’m not in favor of this change. I don’t think it’s in the best interest of the city,” Mr. Briden said. “Tim is a consummate professional. I think he would facilitate a good and success transition.”

Mr. Chapman became the fifth city manager since 2011 to be removed from the office by those councils.

He's actually the fourth person to be dismissed from the job in a little more than four years when Peter Graczykowski was fired in late 2013.

One-time manager Paul Lemont was brought back to fill the role in November of that year before he was eventually relieved of his duties in favor of Mr. Kirby in October of 2015.

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.