EP City Council Names Tim Chapman as "Contact Person", Not Acting Manager as Planned.

The City Council stalled tonight in its effort to name an 'Acting City Manager' to replace suspended Manager Richard Kirby. Since suspending Kirby at its' August 11th meeting, the city has had no top executive to conduct business. "I put this on the docket for tonight because we have no one to go to for city problems or constituent requests," said Councilwoman Tracy Capobianco. "You should have thought of that when you fired the Manager," retorted Ward 1 Councilman Bob Britto. "You put this on the docket (to appoint Chapman) knowing you had three votes to do so," continued Britto to loud applause from the 65 people in attendance at City Hall. "No I don't know how anyone else will vote. I put this on the agenda so we can discuss it. I'd be in violation if I discussed this with other members in private," said Capobianco. City attorney for the meeting, Gregory Dias, agreed with Capobianco that she couldn't discuss the matter other than at public session.

Britto went on to say that he would have added the name of Jeanne M. Boyle, veteran Planning Director for the City. "She is much better prepared to be Acting Manager than our attorney and she has done it before,"added Britto. "She is excellent. No one can carry her pocketbook," said Britto to laughter and applause.

"I don't think Solicitor Chapman should wear two hats, that of Acting Manager and Solicitor. There are too many issues in the City and its budget time," said Britto.

For most of the meeting there were several shout outs from the audience prompting Mayor Tom Rose to call for order. At one point, longtime council critic Tom Riley was asked by the police to sit and refrain from speaking out to the council.

As the discussion got confusing on the resolution to name an Acting Manager, Capobianco agreed to amend her resolution request. The Council called for a recess and after apparently clearing up the parliamentary procedure in the private chamber room, the meeting was resumed with a compromise.

On a 5-0 vote the Council agreed to name solicitor Tim Chapman as a "Point of Contact" in City Hall for the Council members. They also agreed to meet again on August 24th to select an Acting City Manager, presumably from a larger pool of candidates than one.

The net result is that the City still does not have a chief executive in City Hall as the City and School Committee are about to enter budget planning stages. "We're spending more money on people staying home and not working then on people working," said Britto to another round of loud applause from many in the chamber.

Ward 3 Council candidate Candy Seel addressed the Council and said that the Council was "subjecting the City to a lot of potential grief. You suspended the City Manager and he has a right to a public hearing. This wasn't planned all that well," added Seel. Seel is running for the seat held by Tom Rose who is not seeking reelection. Seel has come close the last two elections to defeating Rose. Former Councilman Joe Botelho is also running for that seat.

Scott Scienzo told the Council that I am in despair and shock at the Kangaroo Court-like action of this City Council. Because Mr. Kirby went after Mayor Rose, he in turn was suspended. Kirby has cleaned up a lot in City Hall," said Scienzo.

The night belonged to Bob Britto, though, as he was basically successful in stopping the Council from naming Chapman as Acting Manager and getting the group to discuss the possibility of other names on August 24th. "Our attention to very important matters in the City has been diverted because of this Kirby firing," said Britto. The meeting was supervised by a contingent of at least 6 police officers including the Chief. "Just in case," said one police officer.