Woonsocket City Council scheduled to meet amidst Baldelli-Hunt controversy

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — The Woonsocket City Council is scheduled to meet Monday night amidst controversy surrounding Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt.

On Tuesday, City Council member Denise Sierra filed a complaint against the mayor.

The complaint consisted of nine different charges where Sierra said that Baldelli-Hunt violated her duties by not submitting monthly financial reports as well as “willfully” violating the code of ordinances in providing health insurance to an employee who is not full time.

Baldelli-Hunt released the statement below last week in response to Sierra’s complaint: “Denise Sierra has been a six-year council person who has basically brought nothing to the City of Woonsocket. She thrives on controversy and this is another example of her poor leadership as she leaves the city. This is very typical of her in an election year and it is not the first time she and several other councilors have done things such as this. Very shameful.”

On Wednesday, City Council President Daniel Gendron confirmed to ABC 6 News that he’d received the complaint, saying, “I received a copy of the Complaint yesterday (Tuesday, September 6). I have read through it and I believe it is compelling and speaks for itself. That said, I am reserving judgment until we have the hearing and the Mayor is afforded an opportunity to respond. I will respect the process and we will see where it leads us.”

The agenda for Monday’s meeting says that the City Council will look to hire outside help to investigate the complaint.