Election Summary

The List

By Will Collette

Charlestown voters won’t have to deal with local ballot questions calling for Charter changes (amen). CCA Party-aligned CRACers[1] pushed a collection of ill-conceived measures in 2012 and then they mostly went on to take patronage positions in the CCA Party town government. But for 2014, no charter changes this year.

The CCA Party has nominees for every open elected office in Charlestown – five for Council, five for Planning Commission, two for Chariho School Committee and one for Town Moderator.

Town Democrats have fielded three endorsed Democrats for Town Council – Paula Andersen who is running for a second term, Brandon Cleary who was elected to Planning in 2012 but is now running for Council and Ron Russo. Henry Walsh is defending his position as Town Moderator.

For the first time in a long time, you won’t see Jim Mageau or CCA Party Council member Dan Slattery on the ballot. Councilor Lisa DiBello cancelled her re-election campaign after receiving a $450,000 pay-out from the town. However, she is still on the ballot[2]. It will be interesting to see what she decides to do if she comes in among the Top Five.

Beware of false independents

A check of 'independent' candidates' backing

Letter to the Editor
By Suzanne Ferrio

In-de-pend-dent - not dependent: as not subject to control by others, not affiliated with a larger controlling unit, not requiring or relying on something else, not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct, not bound by or committed to a political party (Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

In the upcoming Charlestown local election, there are nine candidates on the ballot who will be listed as Independent. There is only one candidate who fits the definition as stated above: Craig Louzon, who is running his campaign with his own opinions and financing.

The claim by Charlestown Citizens Alliance that their candidates are true "independent candidates" is questionable and misleading when you consider the following:

• They are all endorsed by one political group - Charlestown Citizens Alliance 

• They campaign under a unified platform - Charlestown Citizens Alliance 

• They campaign as united candidates - Charlestown Citizens Alliance 

• 100 percent campaign financing by one entity - Charlestown Citizens Alliance 

• 60 percent out-of-state financing - Charlestown Citizens Alliance 

Charlestown Citizens Alliance is not an officially-recognized political party; they are a registered Political Action Committee or PAC whose sole purpose, by definition, is to raise money for special interest groups. 

If their candidates are truly independent, why is it not a single one has offered their own platform, sent out their own campaign material or secured any individual funding?

With Charlestown Citizens Alliance providing everything for their campaign, how can their candidates claim to be independent? More importantly, can they be trusted to be "independent" if elected?

Your vote is important. Vote on Nov. 4 and please support Paula Andersen, Brandon Cleary, and Ron Russo for Town Council, Henry Walsh for Town Moderator and Craig Louzon for School Committee.

This Letter to the Editor was submitted to The Westerly Sun, The Chariho Times and Progressive Charlestown.

UPDATED: CCA files changes to report showing who REALLY owns the CCA Party

UPDATED: CCA Party changes its financial disclosure report to include more non-residents.
Most CCA Party funding comes from out of state

Who says Charlestown's non-residents don't have the right to vote?
They vote early and often and OWN Charlestown town government. They've 
turned Charlestown into a government subsidized retirement village where, 
as Ron Areglado says, they can spend their time in quiet contemplation. 
Of their wealth.

By Will Collette

UPDATE: As of this writing, the CCA's final pre-election campaign finance report due on Tuesday, has not been posted. It is listed as "status pending."

However, the CCA Party did file two documents amending the report they filed on October 7 (click here for that report). 

These amendments show even more non-resident funding, boosting the CCA Party's total to more than 60% coming from outside of Charlestown.

Continue on for the new donor list reported in the CCA Party's amended report.

How the CCA Party won the 2012 election

Understanding the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, Part 2

By Will Collette

Click here for Part 1

Prepare yourself for a deluge of CCA Party lies and fear-mongering
For more cartoons by Joel Heller, click here

After the Charlestown Democrats failed to wrest control of Charlestown town government from the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA Party) in 2012 despite a good slate and effective fund-raising, I spent a good deal of time thinking about how the CCA Party did it.

Town Democrats ran three candidates for Town Council and four candidates for the Planning Commission and managed to get one candidate elected for each body – Paula Andersen for Council and Brandon Cleary for Planning. 2012 was the first time since 2004 that Charlestown Democrats ran a serious endorsed slate (the Mageau slate in 2006 were not endorsed).

Rep. Donna Walsh was the town’s top vote-getter (2547 Charlestown votes), swamping her two Charlestown-based opponents Tina Jackson and Kevin Prescott, although it helped that both had extensive criminal records.

Charlestown went heavily for Cathie Cool Rumsey, helping her to defeat incumbent Republican Senator Frank Maher. Charlestown voted by large margins for President Obama, Senator Whitehouse and Congressman Langevin.

Democratic votes were great in three out of Charlestown’s four electoral precincts, where Paula Andersen, Donna Walsh, Cathie Cool Rumsey, President Obama, Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Langevin won by good to excellent margins. 

Only Precinct Three which includes Charlestown’s wealthiest neighborhoods (East & West Beach, Quonochontaug, Shady Harbor, etc.) was a glaring weak spot for the Democrats. Ironically, Cathy and I live in the third precinct.

Looking strictly at the numbers, it was like that crass old joke about the Lincoln Assassination (“Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?”) because in the end, the CCA Party still firmly controlled all the levers of power in Charlestown. 

If you analyze the Charlestown elections in 2008, 2010 and 2012, you can pretty much figure out how the CCA Party plans to win in 2014 – through lots of out-of-state money, fear-mongering and lies, and an effective get-out-the-vote (GOTV) effort, especially in Precinct #3.

Election 2014: Who's in, who's out

Tallies of nomination papers almost complete
By Will Collette


After candidates declare their intention to run for office, the next crucial step is to collect enough signatures - a minimum of 50 - of registered voters on their nomination papers to qualify to appear on the ballot.

There will not be any local candidates on the September 9 primary ballot even though this year's Democratic primary features hot contests for the offices of Governor, General Treasurer, Secretary of State and Lieutenant Governor.

Signature counts have been slowly going up on the Secretary of State's website as the names have been verified by the Charlestown Board of Canvassers.

The current count shows that all declared candidates for Charlestown Town Council, Planning Commission, Moderator, and Chariho School Committee have turned in at least the minimum number of required signatures to go on to the General Election.

Here's how the field shapes up.

Charlestown Democratic candidates file their declarations

Concentrating on control of Town Council because that's where the power is

By Will Collette

Topping the ticket: Rep. Donna Walsh & Council Vice-Pres. Paula Andersen

Today was the deadline for candidates for election to file their Declarations of candidacy at Town Hall. 

Led by incumbent State Representative Donna Walsh and incumbent Town Council Vice-President Paula Andersen, three other Democrats filed their declarations to run for Charlestown Town Council as the endorsed Democratic slate.

They are:

• Brandon Cleary, a professional fire fighter with the Cranston Fire Department. Brandon has served on the Planning Commission as the first Democrat elected to Planning in almost a decade. He has decided to run for Council where he believes he can make more of a distance.
• Nick Bottai, a student at URI. Many of you have already met Nick who waits tables at the Breachway Grill as one of the several jobs he does to try to pay his tuition. Nick is active in the URI Democrats and is eager to serve his hometown in his first quest for public office.
• Ron Russo, a retired businessman. Ron has been active on the Charlestown Economic Improvement Commission and is also making his first bid for public office in the hope of bringing some sanity to the way Charlestown treats its citizens and small businesses.

Planning Commission continues special, kid gloves treatment of Whalerock developer

Votes 4-1 to grant preliminary approval to carve-out of two house lots from the Whalerock property

Another step closer to slaying the monster

By Will Collette

The Charlestown Planning Commission under the leadership of Commissar Ruth Platner continues to give special treatment to the proposal by Whalerock wind project partner James Barrows to carve out two house lots from the 81 acre Whalerock site before the town buys the remaining acreage.

There are probably a hundred projects that have crashed and burned, or have been altered beyond recognition, when they came before Platner’s Commission. Many projects died a slow and painful death of a thousand cuts as Platner and her Commissionaires nit-picked them into oblivion.

But because the Barrows’ subdivision proposal is the linchpin – indeed, it is the deal-breaker – for the deal for Charlestown taxpayers to buy the Whalerock site for $2.1 million, this development is getting extraordinarily gentle and rapid treatment.

Planning Commission turns Clerkbase back on

This is one of those “good news/bad news” stories

A Progressive Charlestown reader once wrote that
Planning Commission meetings were as enjoyable
as getting your fingernails pulled out

By Will Collette

Without any mention or fanfare, the Clerkbase recording of the Planning Commission’s January 2^nd meeting was on-line on Friday. Of course, the Clerkbase link was gone by Saturday and was still gone as this article gets posted. 

But while it was up on Friday, I got a chance to hear their three-hour, mind-numbing discussion of how they plan to write the affordable housing section of Charlestown’s Comprehensive Plan update.

As readers may recall, I reported earlier that the Planning Commission had literally pulled the plug on Clerkbase audio-video recording of their last two month’s meetings. Clerkbase coverage of Planning meetings has been sporadic for the past year at least, but a complete black-out is something new.

So seeing the video posted during the same week was a pleasant surprise. Why it was pulled down on Saturday is another question.

Charlestown voters have spoken

A big night for the CCA

By Will Collette

Well, Town Council Boss Tom Gentz and Deputy Dan Slattery will be returning to the Town Council in their old slots, and now they have a third CCA true-blue in George Tremblay who will have to vacate his Planning Commission seat to take a seat on the Town Council. 

Democrat Paula Andersen, a first time candidate, also won a Council seat coming in third. She will be the first Democrat on the Town Council since 2008.

Councilor Lisa DiBello will also return, in her own manner, to the Council.

Incumbent Gregg Avedisian was defeated. The bottom finisher was Jim Mageau.

Planning Commissar Ruth Platner also won re-election to a new six-year term which will mean she can run her string on the Commission to 22 years if she serves out her term. She is joined by CCA candidates Gordon Foer (who was re-elected) and newcomers Connie Baker (who can’t tolerate meetings longer than 90 minutes) and Jan Knost. 

Democrat Brandon Cleary, a professional firefighter in Cranston, won the fifth slot. Brandon will be the first Democrat to sit on the Planning Commission in many years. [Readers - if you remember the last Democrat who served on Planning, please post a comment or send an e-mail with the name and year].

Here are the numbers posted on the Secretary of State's website:

FAQ about this year’s election

Voting in Charlestown – Basic things to know By Will Collette 

RED: Precinct 501: Meadowbrook Inn (Carolina 

Back Road near Old Mill Road)

GREEN: Precinct 502: Town Hall

YELLOW: Precinct 503: Police Station

BLUE: Precinct 504: Ambulance Barn 

(just east of the police station)

When is Election Day? 

November 6. That’s TODAY. You can vote between 7 AM and 8 PM. 

Are you registered to vote? 

More than 90% of Charlestown residents are registered. Click here to see if you are registered. But if you’re not among that number, you can still cast a ballot for President (but no other office) on Election Day. Go to Town Hall.

Do you know where you are supposed to vote? 

We have four precincts and therefore four voting places this year. Most Charlestown residents will be voting in a different place than in 2008 and 2010. Click here again because this link will also tell you where you are supposed to vote. Also check out this map, also shown on this page.

Do I need to show ID? 

You will be asked to state your name and then to show an ID. Yes, it sucks and I wish Rhode Island didn’t fall for this unnecessary voter suppression gimmick, but until it is overturned by legal challenge, bring an ID. Click here to see a list of acceptable forms of ID.

Can I vote in Charlestown if I own a vacation home in Sonquiquag? 

In my opinion, the only good thing about RI’s new voter ID law is that it will make it harder for nonresidents to vote. Contrary to what the Charlestown Citizens Alliance or RI Statewide Coalition may preach, you actually have to live in RI to vote in RI, not just own property. So if all you have for ID is a Florida or Connecticut or Massachusetts driver’s license, you should go there to vote, not here. Besides, Charlestown’s nonresidents have already cast their “ballots” by funding the CCA’s 2012 election campaign.

Brandon Cleary - why I am running for Planning

A verson of this letter ran in the Westerly Sun

Reprinted with permission of the author, Brandon Cleary

The past few weeks have seen many ‘letters’ from candidates stating the other side isn't telling the truth. It seems most campaigning for local office is quite negative to the opposing side.

I am running for Planning Commission in Charlestown and chose not to engage in the back and forth ‘letters-to-the-editors’. With only a few days left in this campaign, instead of telling you what I don't like about others’ ideas who are running for Planning Commission, I’d like to share with you who I am and what I believe.

I’ve grown up in Charlestown and continue to live here with my wife, Kimberly and my two young children, Logan and Mia. I am a professional firefighter for the city of Cranston and have spent many years in the home construction industry. I am a supporter of families and community life and feel our next generation should have quality education and a clean environment.

How to pick the right team

A little mnemonic help

By Scott Keeley (a version of this letter ran in the Westerly Sun; printed with permission of the author

As a relative newcomer to idyllic Charlestown, Rhode Island, I was surprised to witness, over the last few years, a town council that has publicly pursued personal vendettas, demonized mere thoughts of wind power or affordable housing, and blithely abused the power of office with special-interest real-estate deals and corrupt vendor contracts.

Campaign Finance Reports: CCA and Dems are running neck and neck

Donor profile paints a clear picture of who OWNS the CCA

CCA covers up where their flood of cash comes from 

By Will Collette

For the third consecutive election cycle, the Charlestown Citizens Alliance is showing that it is able to tap its conservative base of retirees and nonresidents for the kind of big bucks for campaigning that no opponent has been able to match.

They pulled off their first Election in 2008 with a clean sweep, thanks to their war chest of just under $14,000 compared to only a few hundred dollars raised and spent by their opponents.

In 2010, the CCA also outspent their opponents by gigantic margins, spending $8,043 to oust two of the four candidates the CCA had endorsed for Town Council in 2008 and replace them with Tom Gentz and Dan Slattery. With the support of newly elected Lisa DiBello, the CCA once again assumed working control of all the levers of Charlestown politics.

The CCA’s pattern in what is now their third two-year election cycle is to raise almost nothing during the first seven quarters and then raise a boatload of cash from its political base among the landed gentry – especially nonresidents – during the last quarter. I had predicted they would do this again, and the CCA’s campaign finance report shows that this is indeed the case.

But unlike 2008 and 2010, according to campaign finance reports filed 28 days prior to the November 6 election, the Charlestown Democrats are giving the CCA a battle.

Batting order determined for Planning Commission candidates

Can’t tell the players without a scorecard

By Will Collette

Charlestown is the only town among the 39 cities and towns of Rhode Island that still elects its Planning Commission. State law requires planning boards to be appointed, to take the politics out of the process, but Charlestown insists it has the “grandfathered” right[1] to keep electing its Planning Commissioners.

While you can never reasonably expect to take the politics out of Planning, Charlestown is the only town that actively and deliberately makes its Planning Commission a totally political animal. And we have paid the price. But since this is the system we have, expect a lively contest for election to the Commission with the candidates arranged on the ballot in the following order:

Democrats announce their endorsed candidates for 2012

New leadership for Charlestown

By Will Collette

If you mosey over to the newly redesigned website of the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee (still under construction, BTW), you’ll see their announcement of the slate of candidates who will be running on the Democratic ticket.