Sunday, July 20, 2008 12:20 AM EDT
Town Hall chaos leads to clash
 A clash outside council chambers scrapped Monday's Charlestown council meeting. |
The circus hasn’t left town quite yet.
Town officials were forced to scrap Monday’s council meeting when acting President James M. Mageau and Councilor Bruce W. Picard left Town Hall in protest before it even started — but not before Mageau took a swing and batted resident Cliff Vanover’s hand-held video camera.
The chaos began outside council chambers shortly after 7 p.m., with Mageau insisting that Police Chief Col. Thomas Sharkey arrest Richmond resident Dan Davidson — or the meeting would not be held. The firstterm councilor claimed that the former Rhode Island PBS television cameraman assaulted him following the council’s May 12 meeting.
Davidson — who told Sgt. Jamie Quattromani that he showed up Monday to film for a woman who couldn’t attend – was recently fired from his job at PBS, after speaking out from behind the camera during the council’s May meeting. He had been previously warned by PBS officials not to interject comments while taping municipal meetings on behalf of the nonprofit group.
To make matters worse, former public access TV host Marilyn Sheldon – whose complaint to Rhode Island State Police prompted a charge of cyberstalking against Davidson last year – showed up to videotape Monday’s meeting. Her presence posed a potential legal problem for Davidson, who has been ordered by a District Court judge to have no contact with either Sheldon or her daughter Heather.
Councilor Harriet A. Allen argued that Davidson had a right to be at the meeting – and that because he arrived before Sheldon, he should be allowed to record.
While Vanover stood recording the conversation near the town clerk’s office, Mageau stormed around the corner from an adjacent hallway and angrily struck the digital video camera that Vanover was holding. The councilor claimed that the camera had been pointed several inches away from his face, similar to an incident between the two men outside town hall on June 4.
Vanover later said he planned to file a complaint and pursue charges against Mageau. Both Mageau and Picard left Town Hall after the attack, which was witnessed by a Westerly Sun reporter.
“This is bizarre,” Davidson confessed moments later outside Town Hall with Town Solicitor Robert E. Craven, Sharkey and Town Administrator Edward M. Barrett. “And ironically, I’m on the agenda. I have a right to be here. I’m on the agenda. You’re talking about me.”
“No sir, that’s not correct,” retorted Barrett, who filed a complaint against Davidson with PBS’s General Manager and Chief Financial Officer David Piccerelli on May 20. “You’re not on the agenda.”
Though Craven expressed concern over the no-contact order, Davidson was allowed to film on the opposite side of council chambers from Sheldon, though at one point — a f t e r removing his video equipment — he stood s e v e r a l yards from her near the room’s doorway. Sharkey told The Sun after the meeting that police could not confirm whether an order was in place barring contact between Davidson and the Sheldons.
A number of residents who showed up expressed their displeasure with Mageau and Picard’s decision to leave without conducting official business of the town. The evening’s agenda included a request to allow dog daycares in the town’s trad i t i o n a l village district (TVD) zone; the re-appointment of one regular member and three alternate members to the Zoning Board (who have a meeting scheduled for tonight); and the approval of town ballot questions asking voters to approve changes to Charlestown’s Home Rule Charter.
“For a person to leave a meeting because he doesn’t like someone is not how the democratic process works,” said Matt McHugh of South Kingstown, a candidate for the Rhode Island House Dist. 36 seat who had urged officials to allow Davidson into the meeting.
Others agreed.
“So irresponsible, so childish,” said resident Frances Topping.
Councilor Katharine H. Waterman initially acknowledged that the earliest that Monday’s meeting can be rescheduled is Thursday, though officials are looking to hold it next Monday, according to Town Clerk Jodi P. LaCroix.
Mageau said this morning he filed a complaint with the Rhode Island State Police after Monday’s meeting related to the alleged assault by Davidson in May. He plans to contact Town Solicitor Robert E. Craven about going to court to get a restraining order against both Davidson and Vanover, he said.
“When the May 12 meeting adjourned, [Davidson] walked up close to me and kept slapping my back and saying, ‘Let me walk you to your car,’” Mageau said. “I told him to get away from me. Chief Sharkey intervened and ordered Davidson to get back inside because he was out on bond (related to a child pornography possession charge).”
Mageau stood by his decision not to call Monday’s meeting to order.
“I’m not going to be subjected to harassment and intimidation by Dan Davidson, Harriet Allen and Cliff Vanover,” he said. “This is all being orchestrated by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance… The failure of the Charlestown Police Department to maintain the integrity of these meetings is deplorable. Why the hell isn’t the town police department doing something about them? It’s bedlam.”
Sharkey could not be reached for comment this morning.
Town officials were forced to scrap Monday’s council meeting when acting President James M. Mageau and Councilor Bruce W. Picard left Town Hall in protest before it even started — but not before Mageau took a swing and batted resident Cliff Vanover’s hand-held video camera.
The chaos began outside council chambers shortly after 7 p.m., with Mageau insisting that Police Chief Col. Thomas Sharkey arrest Richmond resident Dan Davidson — or the meeting would not be held. The firstterm councilor claimed that the former Rhode Island PBS television cameraman assaulted him following the council’s May 12 meeting.
Davidson — who told Sgt. Jamie Quattromani that he showed up Monday to film for a woman who couldn’t attend – was recently fired from his job at PBS, after speaking out from behind the camera during the council’s May meeting. He had been previously warned by PBS officials not to interject comments while taping municipal meetings on behalf of the nonprofit group.
To make matters worse, former public access TV host Marilyn Sheldon – whose complaint to Rhode Island State Police prompted a charge of cyberstalking against Davidson last year – showed up to videotape Monday’s meeting. Her presence posed a potential legal problem for Davidson, who has been ordered by a District Court judge to have no contact with either Sheldon or her daughter Heather.
Councilor Harriet A. Allen argued that Davidson had a right to be at the meeting – and that because he arrived before Sheldon, he should be allowed to record.
While Vanover stood recording the conversation near the town clerk’s office, Mageau stormed around the corner from an adjacent hallway and angrily struck the digital video camera that Vanover was holding. The councilor claimed that the camera had been pointed several inches away from his face, similar to an incident between the two men outside town hall on June 4.
Vanover later said he planned to file a complaint and pursue charges against Mageau. Both Mageau and Picard left Town Hall after the attack, which was witnessed by a Westerly Sun reporter.
“This is bizarre,” Davidson confessed moments later outside Town Hall with Town Solicitor Robert E. Craven, Sharkey and Town Administrator Edward M. Barrett. “And ironically, I’m on the agenda. I have a right to be here. I’m on the agenda. You’re talking about me.”
“No sir, that’s not correct,” retorted Barrett, who filed a complaint against Davidson with PBS’s General Manager and Chief Financial Officer David Piccerelli on May 20. “You’re not on the agenda.”
Though Craven expressed concern over the no-contact order, Davidson was allowed to film on the opposite side of council chambers from Sheldon, though at one point — a f t e r removing his video equipment — he stood s e v e r a l yards from her near the room’s doorway. Sharkey told The Sun after the meeting that police could not confirm whether an order was in place barring contact between Davidson and the Sheldons.
A number of residents who showed up expressed their displeasure with Mageau and Picard’s decision to leave without conducting official business of the town. The evening’s agenda included a request to allow dog daycares in the town’s trad i t i o n a l village district (TVD) zone; the re-appointment of one regular member and three alternate members to the Zoning Board (who have a meeting scheduled for tonight); and the approval of town ballot questions asking voters to approve changes to Charlestown’s Home Rule Charter.
“For a person to leave a meeting because he doesn’t like someone is not how the democratic process works,” said Matt McHugh of South Kingstown, a candidate for the Rhode Island House Dist. 36 seat who had urged officials to allow Davidson into the meeting.
Others agreed.
“So irresponsible, so childish,” said resident Frances Topping.
Councilor Katharine H. Waterman initially acknowledged that the earliest that Monday’s meeting can be rescheduled is Thursday, though officials are looking to hold it next Monday, according to Town Clerk Jodi P. LaCroix.
Mageau said this morning he filed a complaint with the Rhode Island State Police after Monday’s meeting related to the alleged assault by Davidson in May. He plans to contact Town Solicitor Robert E. Craven about going to court to get a restraining order against both Davidson and Vanover, he said.
“When the May 12 meeting adjourned, [Davidson] walked up close to me and kept slapping my back and saying, ‘Let me walk you to your car,’” Mageau said. “I told him to get away from me. Chief Sharkey intervened and ordered Davidson to get back inside because he was out on bond (related to a child pornography possession charge).”
Mageau stood by his decision not to call Monday’s meeting to order.
“I’m not going to be subjected to harassment and intimidation by Dan Davidson, Harriet Allen and Cliff Vanover,” he said. “This is all being orchestrated by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance… The failure of the Charlestown Police Department to maintain the integrity of these meetings is deplorable. Why the hell isn’t the town police department doing something about them? It’s bedlam.”
Sharkey could not be reached for comment this morning.
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