Grebien Being Investigated by Pawtucket Police for Relationship with Employee-Tenant
GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle
Grebien Being Investigated by Pawtucket Police for Relationship with Employee-Tenant
In 1995, Grebien purchased the property at 12-14 Lewis Street in Pawtucket, and then transferred it to his name and his wife’s in 2001 — and records show that one of Grebien’s tenants was hired by the City of Pawtucket in 2011, after Grebien was elected, and received subsequent pay raises thereafter.
“I’ve seen the same documentation about this, and it’s gone to the Police Chief,” said Grebien, regarding the pay records for John Datel who lives at 14 Lewis Street and had gotten a job with the city in the Parks and Recreation Department 2011. “There’s nothing there. It’s been handed over to the police about a month ago. I realize what people are trying to do. So the police went to legal counsel, and they’ve got an outside investigation.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTGrebien’s Property
Grebien was elected Mayor of Pawtucket in 2010, and in 2011, a tenant at the Lewis Street property, John Datel, was hired by Labor Ready, which provides temporary workers to the city.
Documents show that just months later in August 2011, Datel was hired by the City itself for $400 a week, along with with pension and medical benefits totaling $16,000.
In June 2013, records show that Datel received a pay increase from the city that saw his salary jump from $20,8000 to $24,960 a year; in August of that year, Datel received a further bump up to $30,412.30, according to city records.
In total, Datel’s pay increases with the City -- plus pension and benefits -- amounted to 41.84% increase over his initial position with Pawtucket.
“Yes, John Datel has been a tenant,” said Grebien on Friday. “I haven’t seen all of the documentation that was provided to the city, but once I realized it was going somewhere, I made sure the police knew about it.”
Grebien, when asked if if had helped Datel get a job with the city, said the following on Friday.
“I know the games, I know the perceptions out there,” said Grebien. “We want to be as clean as we can, and honestly, I don’t believe there’s anything there."
"If any any time anyone calls me about a job, I tell them I can point them in the right direction, but they have to go through the proper channels themselves," said Grebien. "So we’ll see what the police find, but I can assure you there's nothing improper."
Latest Pawtucket Investigation
Last fall, the Pawtucket Police called in the Rhode Island State Police in October to investigate the incident at Tolman High School where a Student Resource Office was caught on tape bodyslamming a student to the ground following an altercation at the school.
Two months later, the officer was exonerated by the state police for his actions.
"I want to thank Colonel O’Donnell of the Rhode Island State Police for their assistance in conducting this very thorough investigation with Pawtucket Police Department’s Internal Affairs team," said Grebien at the time. "I also want to thank the Tolman High School students, faculty and staff, the Superintendent, the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence and the Pawtucket community as a whole, who patiently allowed for this investigation to be conducted and allowed for the facts and evidence of this case to be made clear."
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Bryant Basketball Assistant Chris Burns Becomes First Openly Gay DI Coach
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E.C. Matthews Out for Season with Torn ACL
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URI Signs Hurley to $1 Million Contract Extension
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CVS Charity Classic Donates $1.3 Million to Local Charities.
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Photo courtesy of Constance Brown photography
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