City of Woonsocket releases documents from former mayor’s controversial $1M land deal

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — The investigation into the controversial land deal made by the former mayor of Woonsocket without city council approval continues. The city released documents from the investigation to the public on Wednesday.

The investigation is into former Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt’s $1.13 million land deal on Mendon Road.

Among the documents shared is an email chain between a consulting company, the city’s department of planning and development and city’s administrator of programs and grants.

The first email dates back to the end of August of 2022. City Council President John Ward said that’s roughly 13 months before the council ever found out about the pending purchase of land.

“You want to ask when was this first thought of as an idea and who brought it up? Who discussed it? There’s a lot of initial information that we really just can’t get answers to at this point because the mayor has resigned and I’m sure we’re not able to press her for those answers. I’m sure she’s not interested in giving those answers,” Ward explained.

There is also documents dating back to when the previous land owner, Raymond Borque, tried to create a development on Mendon Road, which was shut down due to legal issues.

“It’s not able to be developed not because of the site itself but because of the roadway, would have triggered a zoning violation for the neighbors on either side of that roadway and the zoning board and the city had decided it couldn’t be done,” Ward continued.

Baldelli-Hunt was trying to purchase the land to build 11 affordable homes for the elderly.

Ward said next, he will try to look into email conversations between Borque and Baldelli-Hunt.

“Because in all of the emails so far provided, the mayor’s name is almost incredibly missing from all of them either as an addressee or a CC,” Ward elaborated.

Also among the documents is a copy of all the transactions made for the pending land deal, most of which are signed off by Michael Debroisse, the director of planning and development for the city.

The city is now in the process of undoing the transaction for the land that Baldelli-Hunt made.

To look at the documents, go to the City of Woonsocket’s website.