Why can't we ever move forward in Tiverton?

Posted 10/23/19

To the editor:

So the day after the recall election was certified, former Town Council member Justin Katz filed an APRA request asking for all communications of all appointed officials and …

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Why can't we ever move forward in Tiverton?

Posted

To the editor:

So the day after the recall election was certified, former Town Council member Justin Katz filed an APRA request asking for all communications of all appointed officials and employees during October 2018 in regards to the space at the library that Laura Rom reserved to hold a political event at the library.

Back in October 2018, Mrs. Rom requested to use space at the library to hold a political event. Both Republicans and Democrats were invited to participate but the flyer distributed included asterisks next to the names of the TRTC endorsed candidates. Mrs. Rom’s request was initially approved by the library.

Prior to Mrs. Rom’s request, I had asked the library director to find out if it was possible for there to be something at the library where people in the town could meet the candidates that were running for election. I asked this because I felt that it would be a good thing to have a forum where residents could meet and ask questions of candidates to help them decide who they would like to vote for.

The library director had many conversations with the town administrator and in the end it was advised by the town solicitor and town administrator that we should not hold any event like this because it was in violation of the town charter. After this, the library director then questioned if the event Mrs. Rom had reserved library space for would also be in violation of the charter. It was determined that it would and the library director then contacted Mrs. Rom to tell her that the event could not be held at the library and the reasons why.

Not being an attorney or an expert on our town charter, I felt it made sense for the library to follow the advice of the town solicitor. Mrs. Rom requested all communications in regards to this issue and was given the instructions on how to file an APRA request, but she chose not to.

So why, 1 year later, is this coming up again? Why can’t this town move forward and stop wasting the time of the employees of this town?

Over the past few years there has been many changes in our town for the better. Our town administrator clearly loves our town even though he is not a resident. He cares about what happens in our town and I have always found him to be very helpful whenever his assistance has been needed. Our police department has worked so hard to make our town feel like a community with the gift cards they have given out when they pulled drivers over and the family day at Humphrey’s. Our library staff have worked so hard to give the residents of our town what they wanted by the amazing programs they hold at the library and working very hard to open again on Tuesday mornings at the main library and Saturdays at Union. Our new school superintendent is working hard to fix issues in our schools and give our children the best education they can receive.

So many positive things are happening in our town and it’s amazing to see. So can someone please explain to me why we are going backwards? I’m sorry the recall didn’t go the way Mr. Katz wanted it to, but do we really need to keep doing this?

Why can’t the time and energy being spent on dragging up year old issues instead be used to further all the positive things happening in our town?

So once again employees will waste time with these requests so that Mr. Katz can try to find something that someone may have done wrong and he can file suit. It just never ends.

Pam Poli

Tiverton

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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.