East Providence city council votes to fire city manager
By Kirsten Glavin
@kirstenglavin
EAST PROVIDENCE, RI – East Providence city council voted 3-2 Wednesday night to oust Richard Kirby as city manager, after he was suspended with pay on September 8th of this year.
A divided audience chanted as Richard Kirby was eventually allowed to take the stand and defend himself to the council.
"I tried to tell my lawyer that I did this wonderful thing, negotiating a settlement with Mr. Lamont, when it was time for Mr. Lamont to leave!" said Kirby at the podium.
Even with a lengthy speech from his attorney, councilors still voted him out.
"The votes were the votes. They were going to vote the way they were going to vote and support a guy who tried to defraud the city,” said Kirby.
Kirby spent much of his time publicly announcing the whole effort was political, citing retaliation by Mayor Tommy Rose. He announced that he filed an ethics complaint and police report against him.
"Unfortunately people don’t want to do the right thing and when they’re called on it they take retaliation against you,” said Rose.
The mayor however strongly denied targeting the now former city manager.
"It’s not retaliatory in any way shape or form. These are items that were brought to our attention and they’re done wrong in the city as a city manager,” said Mayor Rose. “He’s not the CEO of the city."
The city council voted to terminate Kirby earlier in the month, saying he didn’t investigate sexual harassment claims made by city employee, Kathleen Waterbury. The move cost East Providence $150,000 in legal fees.
Despite Wednesday night’s vote, Kirby’s attorney, Max Wistow told ABC6 News the legal battle may not be over.
"I think it’s absolutely clear it was retaliatory,” said Wistow.
