Blanchette cannot take
Economic Development Job
Tom Duggan
State Law says Council
President who bankrupted city must wait 6
months
 Lawrence’s
new mayor Willie Lantigua (da chief)
announced last week that former City
Council President Patrick Blanchette will
be his new Economic Development Director
and again last night referenced
Blanchette as his new hire for the
department head position.
But, a provision in state law prohibits
elected officials in local municipalities
from taking city jobs in the communities
they served for at least six months after
leaving elected office.
Mass General Laws Chapter 268A. states:
"This section shall not
prohibit an employee of a municipality
with a city or town council form of
government from holding the elected
office of councilor in such municipality,
nor in any way prohibit such an employee
from performing the duties of or
receiving the compensation provided for
such office; provided, however, that no
such councilor may vote or act on any
matter which is within the purview of the
agency by which he is employed or over
which he has official responsibility; and
provided, further, that no councilor
shall be eligible for appointment to such
additional position while a member of
said council or for six months
thereafter. Any violation of the
provisions of this paragraph which has
substantially influenced the action taken
by a municipal agency in any matter shall
be grounds for avoiding, rescinding, or
cancelling such action on such terms as
the interest of the municipality and
innocent third parties require.
STATE
LAW CITATION
Blanchette, who lost the mayor’s
race when it was learned that he refused
to pay three yeas worth of income taxes
to the IRS was legally responsible for
the city’s budget according to the
city charter. When he left office on
Monday, Blanchette left the city with a
$17.9 million budget deficit, did not set
a tax rate or balance the budget as
required by law.
In 2005, former Methuen City Councilor
Matt Kraunelis received a special waiver
from the state legislature to become Bill
Manzi’s chief of staff. The waiver
tool nearly six weeks, after being passed
by the Methuen City Council, the House of
Representatives, the State Senate and
signed by the governor.
Blanchette’s inability to take the
job of Economic Development Director may
not be Mayor Lantigua’s only legal
problems on his first day, The Valley
Patriot has learned that several outgoing
Sullivan administration appointees have
retained a lawyer to sue Lantigua for
targeting them for termination.
Fired Economic Development Director
Thomas Schiavone was denied a contract by
Blanchette two months ago after nine
years on the job. Blanchette not only
voted against Schiavone to get the job
but as the council president he lead the
charge to stop Schiavone from getting the
contract. Other members of the
Sullivan team say they plan on taking
legal action against the city and have
already retained lawyers to represent
them in a lawsuit against Lantigua.
MORE COMING!!
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