The fallout from a January press conference at the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center – which drew global attention after a male bus driver was found to have dressed as an elderly woman in an apparent bid to improve the event’s optics – continues to unfold at City Hall.

The City Council last week had scheduled a closed-doors meeting to discuss that episode and the subsequent resignation of former senior services director Sue Stenhouse, but a motion to enter executive session failed on a 4-3 vote.

Democratic Citywide Councilman Michael Farina joined the council’s three Republicans – Donald Botts of Ward 2, Chris Paplauskas of Ward 5, and Michael Favicchio of Ward 6 – in voting to block the closed session.

Council President John Lanni, Vice President Richard Santamaria, and Ward 4 Councilman Mario Aceto backed the move.

Ward 1 Councilman Steven Stycos and Ward 3 Councilman Paul Archetto, both Democrats, were not present.

Lanni – who has called the press conference flap an “embarrassment” for the city – said he will “definitely” schedule another meeting, and is confident he will have the votes at that point to enter executive session for discussion of the matter.

He was critical of the councilmen who voted to block the closed session, and questioned why the administration of Mayor Allan Fung – which has repeatedly declined to comment on Stenhouse’s departure, calling it a personnel issue – has “so mum about this.”

Lanni also said the intention of the closed session was to “find out what actually transpired,” although he acknowledged he did not anticipate any “earth-shaking revelations.” He pointed to what he said are questions over the precise nature of Stenhouse’s departure – specifically, whether she did indeed resign, or if she was fired – and whether she received any severance compensation.

“When it comes to taxpayer money, the council has a right to know … The only information this council has received is from the media,” he said. He added: “Sometimes, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

Farina said he initially intended to support entering executive session. His vote to block it, he said, resulted from learning Stenhouse would not be present and that the administration intended to provide no additional statement.

“At that point, there’s no reason to go into executive session,” he said.

Farina additionally said he questions the council’s role in the matter.

“It came down to my opinion that she resigned, and no one’s complaining about it … There’s nothing coming out of the senior center that we need to investigate,” he said. “This is a political game of chicken between the Democrats and Republicans, and I want no part of it.”

Botts on social media described the planned executive session as “pure politics to keep [the story] in [the] news cycle.” At the meeting, he said he felt the proceedings were a “waste of time.”

The situation stems from a Jan. 5 press conference at the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center, at which city and school officials kicked off a program allowing high school students to earn community service credits by shoveling for senior citizens.

Stenhouse, who had been senior services director since December 2013, resigned unexpectedly at the end of that week. Neither she nor city administration officials discussed the reasons for her departure at the time, nor have they in the weeks since.

Then, days later, the apparent cause of Stenhouse’s resignation was reported – a middle-aged, male bus driver for the center had been dressed as an elderly woman. That driver wore a dress, wig, earrings and lipstick at the event, along with a nametag reading “Cranston Senior Home Resident.” He stood alongside Stenhouse, Mayor Allan Fung, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Norma Cole, Cranston High School West Principal Tom Barbieri, and a number of student volunteers during the event.

David Quiroa, the director of the center’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP, has been appointed interim director of senior services.