East Providence City Council appoints a new interim City Manager

By: News Staff

news@abc6.com

The East Providence city council appointed a new interim city manager during special meeting Sunday night.

Timothy Chapman, formerly the city solicitor, will fill the hole left behind by Richard Kirby’s suspension.

Kirby was accused of not investigating a city employee’s sexual harassment claims throughout the meeting.

Council members were getting heated over the appointment process and the mayor’s role in it.

“It sends a bad message. It tells them that regardless whether or not you don’t have a contract or you do have a contract, there’s a possibility because one, two people or more importantly the majority of people, the three votes, don’t like you, you could be gone at any given point in time,” said City Councilor Robert Britto.

“I’m not targeting him in any way, shape or form…not politically motivated at all. There’s a lot more there that we’ll be seeing in the future,” said East Providence Mayor Tom Rose.

Weeks ago, Kirby filed an ethics complaint against mayor tom rose on allegations rose repeatedly tried charging his personal rental car payments to the city.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2016