March 19, 2024

Once Fired EP Building Inspector Quattrucci On The Job. Won't be Intimidated.

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East Providence building inspector, Albert Quattrucci, is still on the job after 30 years of independent actions. Quattrucci recently ordered a Riverside house shut down and condemned after he and police found over 40 uncared for animals inside. The search also led to the removal of two teenage girls who were living on mattresses in a dark, dank cellar with no safe exit or any smoke detectors. Quattrucci has been known for an independent style, often publicly clashing with city or state officials. When the woman who owned the Riverside home was told by Quattrucci that her house was being condemned as unsafe, she attacked him and a police officer. In his own inimitable style, Quattrucci told local Channel 12 News that when the woman assaulted him and an officer, "the officer picked her up and threw her like a missile in the snow bank." The recent raid also led to charges leveled toward the DCYF for visiting the home the day before the incident and not removing the two teen age girls immediately. "You should be fired," he told the DCYF worker the next day.

Quattrucci himself was fired by former city manager Richard Brown in 2009 for “egregious insubordinate behavior.” Brown had said that Quattrucci has “a history of disregarding his superiors.” Quattrucci not only clashed with City Hall management but he also angered former School Superintendent Mario Cirillo and his right hand man, Chief Operating Officer, Lonnie Barham. Quattrucci was frustrated with school officials during the summer of 2009 over health concerns with East Providence High School. Before school was to open, Quattrucci was considering an order to close the school. Quattrucci told area news reporters that the high school was “unsafe” and a “deathtrap”. Strong language which school officials didn't like. During an inspection of the high school, school officials called the East Providence Police who responded and removed Quattrucci from the school. "They told me to leave, the superintendent doesn't want you on the city's property and I left," said Quattrucci at that time. Then Superintendent, Mario Cirillo, said that “while there are some issues with the school that are being addressed, Quattrucci’s claims are an exaggeration.” But Albert Quattrucci says he was fired because he ordered the closure of East Providence High School against the wishes of school department officials. Quattrucci had several disagreements with school and city officials as he received parental and some staff complaints about health related issues in several schools in the city. In the end, Richard Brown fired Quattrucci.

Quattrucci appealed his firing to a city personnel hearing board that September of 2009. City officials continued to uphold former Manager Brown’s firing. The case went to arbitration before former Supreme Court Chief Judge Frank Williams. Quattrucci maintained that he was terminated for “doing his job” and refusing to cover up city negligence, especially unsafe conditions at East Providence High School. Quattrucci was represented by attorney Thomas J. McAndrew. McAndrew has successfully represented several former East Providence city and school employees in defamation and/or wrongful dismissal lawsuits.

Quattrucci first upset school officials when he clashed with former school superintendents Taras Herbowy and Patricia Daniel. Daniel and Herbowy did not agree with several Quattrucci claims of perceived unsafe air quality and structural defects in many East Providence schools. School officials were upset that parents, teachers or other school staff would directly report complaints to Quattrucci without going through administrative channels. Sources tell how at one point, Quattrucci, after receiving an anonymous complaint of foul odors at an elementary school, called the fire department from his car to dispatch fire trucks to the school, without telling school officials.

Quattrucci’s style did not sit well with city and school management. Quattrucci was issued a “gag” order by former city manager Richard Brown and told not to speak with area media. In the end, however, Quattrucci would appear at public meetings and speak out, often calling the press on his own.

Eventually Albert Quattrucci got his job back as he won a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city. He received back pay and other settlements in amounts ranging from $200,000 to $500,000. Ironically, several officials he clashed with have been fired, including former City Manager Richard Brown, former School Superintendent Mario Cirillo and his aide, COO Lonnie Barham. Former Superintendents Patricia Daniel and Taras Herbowy were not rehired also.

Albert W. Quattrucci, at over 70 years of age is still protecting East Providence people, animals and structures. And if you attack him on the job, he may have you "thrown into the snow like a missile."

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  • jayjasmine

    I live for the day this man gets fired or finally retires and allows a younger man to do the job that he does so badly. A friend of mine had a minor leak in a house that she owns and he went and had it boarded up did not even give her 24 hours to rectify the problem she lives right around the corner from the house he could have found her easily.... it cost her a ton of money and when she talked to him about it he was arrogant as can be and when she talked to the staff at City Hall they were no help he's been known to do this and thinks since he got his job back he can treat and talk to anyone anyway he wants and I'm sure the staff at City Hall is also intimidated by him..... he's just a big bully and should get the heck out of that job

    Saturday, January 20, 2018 Report this


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