The Scoop: City Employee’s Bid for City Council Violates Charter
Friday, October 18, 2013
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Insider Status May Hurt Council Contender
Providence City employee Joe Elliot’s potential city council candidacy may be at odds with the Providence City Charter’s “Prohibited activities and conflicts of interest” guidelines.
On Wednesday, The Scoop reported that Elliot is considering running for the Council President Michael Solomon’s soon-to-be vacant Ward 5 council seat, but it now appears that Elliot’s role of inspector at the Providence Department of Inspections & Standards might make him ineligible to run.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAccording to the Providence City Charter Section 1206:
Employees and/or appointed officers are prohibited from becoming official candidates and from holding any elected public office of the government of the City of Providence. Employees and/or appointed officers who become candidates for such offices in the City of Providence shall be granted an unpaid leave of absence for up to six (6) months, with no individual receiving more than six (6) months leave of absence within a four-year period, dating from the beginning of the first leave of absence. Upon election to a public office of the government of the City of Providence, the individual shall cease to be an employee or appointed officer of the City of Providence.
This would mean that Elliott would either have to resign his position with the City or take an unpaid leave of absence six months prior to next year’s November 2014 election.
The charter also prohibits employees and appointed officers from engaging in political activities during work hours while employed by the City—which would directly affect Elliott.
In January 2013, Mayor Angel Taveras thanked Elliott for his exemplary work for the City in his “State of the City Address.” During his speech, Mayor Taveras told a story of how Elliott and his co-worker Bill Newell worked diligently to help an elderly Providence woman who was living without heat. Elliott and Newell, who were off-duty at the time, coordinated with National Grid and had the woman’s heating problem fixed at no charge.
In addition to Elliot, sources told The Scoop on Wednesday that former Providence Fire Chief George Farrell and former Ward 5 councilman Patrick Butler are also considering throwing their hats into the race.
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