Woonsocket’s new mayor to investigate former mayor’s controversial land deal

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — There’s a new mayor in Woonsocket, but the investigation into a controversial land deal that the departing mayor made without City Council approval is not going away just yet.

New Mayor Christopher Beauchamp told ABC 6 News that he plans to investigate city hall staff.

“It’s day by day. I’m mayor for the day, I don’t know what tomorrow brings, none of us do, so I’m not going to forecast where I’m going to be a year from now,” he said. “I’m just concentrated on doing the job right now.”

Beauchamp was sworn into his new role on Thursday, Nov. 9, the same day former Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt resigned, citing health issues.

“When health becomes an issue, there’s a lot of stress of being the mayor in this city and any other city and I think that played a major part in her resignation and obviously the land deal was also precipitated some of the thinking as far as her resigning,” Beauchamp said.

Baldelli-Hunt faced scrutiny after a $1.1 million land deal she made on her own, without city council approval.

Her resignation came just a day after the council took up a resolution authorizing the city solicitor to rescind and reverse that deal.

Baldelli-Hunt wanted to purchased land on Mendon Road for affordable housing in the city.

“I can’t say I support it or not because I never saw it, hence the problem,” Beauchamp said. “There’s a protocol to follow, some of that protocol wasn’t followed.”

Beauchamp told ABC 6 News that he will continue an investigation into the matter.

“We will still investigate other people, employees in city hall that were part of that,” he said.

Woonsocket’s financial director was let go Monday as part of that investigation.

A woman working in enterprise funds will step into the financial director role and at some point there will be a special election for a new city council member to replace Beauchamp.

After serving roughly 11 years on city council, Beauchamp feels fit for his new job as mayor.

“My whole job here is just to continue the good work that she’s done, continue to make the city a place where people want to visit, come, and live and I’m going to continue to do that,” he said.