To the editor:

As the saying goes, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, or apparently, Nancy Driggs and the rest of her Tiverton Taxpayers Association pals.  Instead of self-reflection as to the shellacking they took in the recall election, they’re intent on blaming everyone but themselves.  Ms. Drigg’s recent LTE is a classic example.

At the Tiverton town council meeting of Oct. 28, Donna Cook used her council seat to make baseless and totally unsubstantiated political accusations against fellow council members. When told that, per Robert’s Rules of Order, this was not allowed, she behaved with all the dignity of a five year old having a temper tantrum.  When she refused to stop, the council president eventually called a recess. Or, in Donna Cook’s case, a deserved time out.

As to Mr. Katz’s crucial role in contract negotiations, I’m confused. Per the charter, the town administrator is the chief negotiator, assisted by the specialized labor attorney hired by the town.  According to Ms. Driggs, they seem to be nothing more than decorations in the room. This being the case, she promptly declined to continue participating in contract negotiations.

Then come the 20 years worth of executive session minutes. At the August meeting when the town council adopted this policy, it was clear that there were a number of unresolved legal, technical and funding issues, not the least of which was clarification from the RI Attorney General’s office.  Town solicitor Cicione even pointed out that if these could not be satisfactorily resolved, the council could simply undo the policy. 

Did Ms. Drigg’s not listen to a word that town clerk Nancy Mello said at the October meeting, when she stated that these hurdles remain unresolved? Or listen to the written opinion from the Attorney General’s office?  After long debate, the council voted to rescind the policy — in order to protect the town from legal liability, not to hide anything. 

Did Ms. Drigg’s letter to the editor note that the council indicated that they’d be willing start over from scratch and see if they could find a more workable way to release the minutes? Of course not, because that would be counter to the narrative of painting every non-TTA official as corrupt and untrustworthy.

Finally, Ms. Drigg’s repeated use of the word “replacement” to describe the new council members and officers is juvenile, unbecoming and just plain mean.  But keep it up, and I think we will be seeing some “replacements” come November 2020.  

Barbara Martin 

Tiverton