Faria Vigorously Denies Allegations in Public Response

When a constituent would call me whose property was obstructed by a snowbank, if I couldn't get a plow there timely, I would personally shovel them out. When a lovely elderly woman called me in panic over fallen tree, I was there immediately with resolve . When most of my Ward was without power during a storm, I spent 24 hours assisting all my constituents in need, and stood with emergency crews until power was fully restored. No request ever went unanswered.

I’ve prided myself in fully resolving issues that sat dormant for years to give you the response you deserve. I’ve never missed a City Council meeting, a special meeting, a budget workshop, any city business meeting or a Police and Fire Pension board meeting. I fought for reform and transparency and also stood up to all the back door politics and to anything I felt would not serve in your best interest.

This recent political hatchet job was a well orchestrated attack by a political establishment that has been there for decades and does not want to let go of their influence and the control they hold over your city government. Your tax dollar also certainly buys them a very long reach and their latest tool is the media. They do not like the way stand up for you.

This Public hearing opened with the words “ City Hall is the Epicenter of our local government”. The reality is City Hall has been the Epicenter of continuous contentious controversies and repeated high profile lawsuits from recent discrimination lawsuits to sexual harassment scandals.

Early in my term I even witnessed an entire Fire Recruitment Academy just completely discarded. This left the you, the taxpayers, left to fund the Department’s overtime while the entire application process was started all over again. Additionally, I saw how an election had previously been stolen from the people. This “Epicenter” has also named us the most Chaotic City in Rhode Island”.

The full objective behind holding a public hearing in this fashion was to publicly slander and malign me as we enter election season. Interestingly, this meeting was only posted shortly after I proposed that our city solicitor be required to work 30 to 35 hours a week to bring both value to your tax dollars and accountability.

I also questioned why you, the taxpayers, are funding an office, two full-time law clerk’s , supplies and a complete overhead while he’s working part time and being paid as an independent contractor.

I was amazed this meeting was even held despite the fact I was just discharged from the hospital with a concussion and other injuries sustained and had requested a short continuance with supporting medical documentation.

I would like to first address the accusations in regards my demeanor toward City employees. The fact is I have never once berated any city employee, “threatened their job” or intimidated anyone in anyway. In fact I have always gone out of my way to always be courteous, personable and very outgoing to all city employees.

I found the meeting very disturbing and unnerving. I seriously question how an acting HR Director/Police Captain, could possibly have arrived at any accurate conclusion or deliver any type of factual presentation without ever once contacting me, once interviewing me or merely ever once asking me a single question. It was an absolute one sided political ambush. I believe he stood in a public forum and convicted me publicly, while giving me no opportunity for rebuttal . I believe this was to execute a political agenda. And exactly seven days later The Chief became our new city manager and was given a substantial pay increase.

The allegations that were made are completely frivolous, vexatious, and absolutely baseless. They are part of a retaliatory continued effort to harass me, embarrass my family, cause undue hardship and bully me out of office . They presented very little fact and mixed it in with conjecture, complete untruths, outrageous spins and total exaggerations to fulfill the political agenda of persuading public opinion against me just days before declaring for re election.

With over 400 City employees I’ve learned that these alleged and repeated complaints are all from the same 5 complainants. All whom are from the City Clerks office and IT department and just happen to have strong alliances to the former City Manager and a certain “group”. Some of them have even just had their siblings hired by the City to work beside them in the same office. Others have found themselves in “vulnerable positions “ after their jobs were recently deconsolidated.

I find it troubling that these frivolous allegations arose only after a December job performance / job termination meeting I called regarding the now former City manager.

Interestingly enough, prior to December, there were no issues that past year. What is more disturbing is all of these complaints were made just after the former City Manager placed a police captain with no HR experience or training as the city’s new HR Director.

This was in place of the hiring of the well qualified professional human resource director the City Manager assured the City Council would be hired. I believe this to be the agenda all along. With all the issues we’ve had in HR, why wouldn’t we attempt to put the most qualified person we could find in that position? Why would we use a police captain?

City Clerk..

The City Clerk and I enjoyed a very positive relationship on both a personal and professional level. We’ve worked soundly together and on occasion lunched together and have a strong working relationship. I will admit that I can be very passionate about issues at times and my voice carries. However, I have never mistreated her nor swore at her. The city clerk is a political appointment in this has put her in a very precarious position.

The City Clerk well knows these allegations to be false. Throughout my term we’ve discussed tensions in that office amongst the employees themselves. In fact there have been previous grievances filed that of “ a hostile work environment”.

What I heard came as such a shock to me I actually called the City Clerk the following day. I asked her if she ever felt that way and she responded what was stated was completely out of context. She also expressed how uncomfortable she felt and did not appreciate the position she was being put in politically.

The acting City Manager also referred to the entire presentation as being “well editorialized” rather than factual.

Just to respond to the allegation of refusing to leave the Clerk’s Office as an example...This was all regarding a Memoriam for a constituent. On that one occasion, my wife came in to pick up a Memoriam for a constituent who had just lost a loved one. My wife had previously furnished all the information regarding the family of the deceased to the City Clerk to prepare it and made arrangements with the City Clerk to pick it up at the end of the business day so she could present it to the family. However, the City Clerk unexpectedly left early.

When my wife arrived and asked if there was something left for her, an employee responded “I don’t work at-five minutes til 4:00 pm” in such a demeaning tone my wife turned right around and walked right out the building. I was absolutely astounded at how she was treated. My wife had never been to the City Clerk’s office before nor had she ever asked any employee for anything.

I quietly called the City Clerk from her office and shut the door and spent the next 10 or 15 minutes trying to see if she could assist me over the phone on how to create/print this Memoriam and discussed other options. There was no confrontation, nor was I asked to leave the premises as alleged, by anyone in person or over the phone.

“The cameras must not of been working that day as these facts were all conveniently omitted from the Captains editorialized presentation”.

This is just one example of the hostilities I faced from the staff. This entire incident can all be corroborated by phone records and transmitted messages that clearly support that. From that point on the City Clerk and I would try to meet outside her office. However, I still always remained professional, respectful and courteous to all her staff.

IT Department

In regards to the alleged harassment of an I.T. Employee, I have never done so. I have never interfered a day in my life nor have I ever “demanded anyone” in this department to do anything. In fact, I have immeasurably been supportive to employees of this department and have greatly extended myself to them.

Interestingly, during this timeline, an employee had no issue with having me pick them up and drive them to enjoy a multi-course dinner downtown at my (and my wife’s) expense to discuss City initiatives and listen to all the concerns they were feeling as we are approaching a Mayoral form of government and how this would affect them.

Nor was it ever expressed that harassment was felt when they needed my support or friendship. I found the accusations both deceptive and outrageous. and interestingly enough, I believe many of the accusations regarding “ Facebook posts” were lifted from certain online commentators who created the ruse on internet groups, as many of these city employees follow those discussions.

I began a working relationship with an IT employee and effectually worked together towards many positive initiatives for the residents of the City of East Providence. In March of 2017 we put a team together composed of Clerk base, our videographer, the City Clerk and myself to improve viewing and streaming capabilities. We met frequently to improve or review issues and kept an open line at all times. We later worked on a “going green “paperless billing initiative , we worked together to create a help line for our Seniors and for those with disabilities. We also explored outsourcing many City functions.

A very interesting revelation came to light on November 16 of 2017. I met with two I.T. employees at the Sweetland house. I found one in severe distress and learned this employee suffered great pressures for assisting me with a beautiful photo slide show commemorating The Challenger little league team’s ceremony that was held during a City Council meeting. This employee was in such distress they wanted to quit due to the pressure that was applied to them after it was posted.

The same individual/ individuals pressuring that employee were of the same who spoke highly of the the video to me and how much they enjoyed it, all the while they were furious it was created. It also upset a certain political faction.

These were the type of inside games that have been played. The politics behind this issue was that the coach of the team ,Tim Conley, my last opponent whom I defeated in the last election, refused to attend the ceremony as I honored his Challenger teammates with City, State and Congressional citations. I recall exchanging messages with the employee later that evening and we both agreed to not let anyone instigate issues between us.

More over, All communications to make this video were made through instant messages that clearly show absolutely no harassment or any demands.

The only other power point presentation done was “The Wastewater Plant”, which I personally created with Tom Azevedo, the project manager. That was done just hours before that nights Council meeting for a presentation. It was not done by IT.

The only times I recall an employee was contacted early AM was to confirm an 8 AM meeting regarding a server issue just after a snowstorm and I recall both myself and the City Manager both simultaneously calling the employee’s city phone, or on other occasions when I would be administratively randomly locked out of my city email . This employee, who is on 24 hour emergency call, is the only one who has the ability to reset the system.

Also omitted was how many of those employee’s calls were outgoing to me and the extended lengths of those calls. This employee spoke at times for well over an hour. We were friendly and would often speak on the phone for great extended periods of time that had nothing to do with social media.

After hours

I would like to address the politics and spin behind this

The very morning Finance Director Malcom Moore became the Acting City Manager, upon arriving to the city managers office, he reported the office had been cleaned out and reported missing City files, missing City documents and deleted City emails and I personally came down to photograph the office to find all cabinets and desk drawers were all completely emptied and cleaned out. Suspiciously, the only things left behind were two very small tape recorders in a drawer, which I believed were left behind to send a message. Acting City Manager Moore repeatedly requested an investigation that never happened. I was one of the three Council members that suggested he follow up with the State Police and make them the prosecuting authority rather than repeatedly chase the City Solicitor and Chief. In fact the entire time Mr. Moore served as acting city manager there was an administrative division between himself and the law department. It was as if the Law Department was a power and government unto itself.

It was suggested that I did not use my swipe key in an effort to conceal my entry to City Hall the night of April 27th, 2018. I would like to address this with the fact that shortly after taking office we had a surveillance camera system installed throughout the lobby, hallways and certain offices of City Hall. Not only was I the Councilman whom was a proponent of this, I was also present as the system was being installed. I am well aware that all entries to the building are video recorded. It is deliberately misleading to suggest otherwise.

Since I have taken office I have not personally utilized the City‘s law department to due to political conflicts between the Solicitors office and myself. I have worked diligently in doing all my own legal research and have had all proposed legislation drafted outside our city’s well funded legal department (excluding pension ordinances.)

I vigorously deny copying or removing any sensitive information the night of April 27, when I worked into the night at City Hall, and I believe The Chief and law department very well know that. I find it to be very disingenuous to even suggest that anything of merit wouldn’t be properly secured in a vault.

I’d also like to point out that both the State Police and the Attorney General’s office have both separately and independently investigated this and found no evidence of wrongdoing and both declined to pursue any charges.

This was never addressed to me nor was a single word mentioned. When I learned weeks later by a source this was being reviewed, The acting city manager stated it would be an absolute conflict for the City to investigate it’s own Councilman. An absolute conflict. ...So my Question is what suddenly happened to the conflict? Perhaps it’s in the same place they were keeping the four year terms.

Throughout my term, I’ve worked evenings, weekends and also on occasion worked overnight into the early morning hours. It’s been a normal practice for both me and for the custodian to admit me into the building and open my office as I regularly don’t carry my keys. Even when I have utilized the office during the daytime I usually also would have to have the city manager‘s office have the door to my office unlocked .

I would like to address that just about a week prior to this night I also worked on several proposed initiatives until the early morning hours. On that evening also, the custodian let me in the building and also opened up my office and spent time in the office with me speaking about recent political events.

And the conference room that was discussed was City Council room 101, where we, The Council meet to hold all executive sessions and where I have met often with constituents and have often worked out of in the past.

Firing acting city manager

We just fired a city manager who really cared about the taxpayers and was doing a terrific job. Where is the political integrity in firing a man that the entire Council themselves acknowledged was doing a superb job? Mr. Moore wasn’t even notified he was being replaced. I personally contacted Mr. Moore upon receiving the docket by email just 48 hours prior to the meeting and I informed him he was being removed and he repeatedly asked me to please not stick up for him during the meeting in fear it may cause repercussions for him.

This is the exact type of toxic political environment that exists at City Hall and must cease. We now have a police captain heading human resources, and our Police Chief is now our new City manager, our seventh in six years and he’s been given an assistant also from the police department.

You the taxpayers are funding this never-ending fishing expedition driven by political agenda as our solicitors office continues to hire the best attorneys your tax dollar can buy in this effort against me.

These accusations are by no means new revelations, they go back almost six months. They’ve since hired an attorney who I later learned reviewed all the accusations just to later refer it back to the city.

I Would like to every resident to know, when I learned of this movement against me I called on a daily basis to be interviewed but I was told they did not find any need to talk to me as it did not rise to a point of even speaking to me.

But now that election season is here and dynamics have changed between Council members after being under attack in the media over the four year term issue, we are now rehashing political foolishness rather than focusing on City issues.

One council member who voted that night of that meeting later expressed to me “they found it disgusting what an individual doing to me" and expressed concern and fear they also could be targeted next.

In closing...

If you are late on your property tax , You will face tax sale, if you are delinquent on your water bill you will face a shut off and if you are delinquent on Car tax, you will face a registration block but yet your law department has tens of thousands of dollars of your money keep funding multiple attorneys for all for this Political foolishness.

I thank everyone for your continued support through this difficult time and I will professionally work with Chief Perella, the Council, and the entire City team To continue to progressively move our city forward.

Sincerely,

Councilman Brian Faria