NEW: Jackson’s Legal Team Alleges Open Meeting Violation by Providence Board of Canvassers

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Monday, October 31, 2016

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Lawyers for Councilman Kevin Jackson (pictured) are saying that the Board of Canvassers failed to adequately disclose an open meeting on Monday.

Lawyers for Providence City Councilman Kevin Jackson are alleging that the Providence Board of Canvassers is in violation of the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act, having scheduled a meeting for 2 P.M. on Monday that they say was not posted in City Hall, as required.

Artin Coloian and Daniel Calabro sent a letter Monday morning to attorney William Dolan, who was recently hired by the City to represent the Board of Canvassers, after the city was conflicted in having the city solicitor’s office represent the Board of Canvassers.

The letter sent by the Jackson legal team to the outside counsel is the latest in the battle over the effort to recall Jackson.

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Dolan did not respond to request on Monday; Mayor Elorza's communications director Emily Crowell has refused to answer questions as to who is servings as spokesperson for the Board of Canvassers.

Letter to Dolan

Coloian and Calabro a letter to Dolan Monday morning containing the following:

As you are likely aware, your client, the City of Providence Board of Canvassers, electronically filed a notice of a proposed meeting scheduled for today at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the Objections that were filed on behalf of Councilman Kevin Jackson.

As I am sure that you are also aware, RIGL 42-46-6 regulates state and Government open meetings. Specifically, this section delineates and controls the required notice for all said meeting. RIGL 42-46-6 states in part that:

"Written public notice shall include but need not be limited to, posting a coy of the notice at the principal office of the public body holding the meeting, or if no principal office exists, at the building in which the meeting is to be held, and in at least one other prominent place within the governmental unit."

I had received notice from several individuals that there had be notice placed in Providence City Hall — both attorney Coloian and I then took a trip to City Hall…there was no written notice of the proposed public meeting at any of these locations.

As such, your client is in clear violation of the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act. Please confirm with us that your client has canceled said meeting for today.