Mayor Ken Hopkins says he has questions following the City Council’s decision to amend its contract with the council’s lawyer, Stephen Angell.

Hopkins’ questions were not about the merits of the changes – which were a change in the billing process – but said his concerns centered on controversial remarks that have stemmed from public allegations by public officials that City Council President Jessica Marino is having a romantic relationship with Angell.

Angell routinely attends City Council meetings and often sits with Marino on the elevated rostrum in council chambers. He handles legal matters for the council.

Last Thursday – the day after the council reviewed Angell’s contract in three meetings held in one night – Hopkins appeared on “The Gene Valicenti Show” on WPRO, saying he was concerned that all the talk has left “a stain” on the city and that he has concerns about possible conflicts of interest.

Hopkins said that he was particularly concerned that Councilman Richard Campopiano told him he felt threatened after having a conversation with Angell about the reported relationship with Marino.

“I think it’s only prudent of me to take the next step and talk to my legal team as well as the colonel in the Police Department to see if there are any threats, any violations, any conflicts of interest,” Hopkins said in the broadcast.

When asked about the threats that Hopkins referred to, Campopiano declined to comment.

Subsequently, Cranston Police Chief Col. Michael Winquist said he had spoken to the mayor and reviewed the information and determined there is nothing criminal to investigate.

Winquist said if any new information is received, it will be reviewed and if something appears criminal, it will be determined whether the CPD or another law enforcement agency will handle it.

Last week, Campopiano raised concerns about the possible lack of impartiality this could cause in council representation. In his press release he stated that he was uncomfortable with Angell representing him as part of the council.

“…and his ongoing personal relationship with the Council President severely and irreparably compromises my representation of City of Cranston as a whole,” Campopiano wrote.

According to The Providence Journal, Hopkins said he is trying to take the politics out of the situation and ask what is fair and good for the city.

“But the fact that she [Marino] is doing this with the legal counsel who sits next to her at every meeting, that has bad optics and people are concerned and they’re talking about it,” Hopkins said to the Journal.

According to the Hopkins administration, at least one resident has filed an Open Meetings Law complaint with the Attorney General’s Office regarding how the City Council handled the posting of the three meetings last Wednesday.

According to the complaint filed by a resident, Drake Patten, there are a number of problems with the way the city posted the meeting and meeting materials.

Patten also noted that public comment was allowed at only one of the meetings. She stated that the public was not provided advance copies of the contract amendments, even though the council had them. The Attorney General’s Office is looking into the complaint.

City Solicitor Christopher Millea had raised a similar concern during the first Special City Council meeting last Wednesday. He said that, to his knowledge, no amendments to the contract in question had been posted publicly.

“So as of right now, I am warning the body that they might [run] afoul of the OMA (Open Meetings Act) based on the fact that there’s been zero notice to the public or to the solicitor’s office, as to what the amendment to this contract is,” Millea said during the meeting.

On Monday afternoon, all three agendas for the special meetings were posted, narrowly missing the 48-hour deadline of the state’s

In response to Millea, Marino said from the rostrum that not posting amendments before meetings was in line with past practice. 

“I believe from past experience that what we are doing this evening in the agenda as posted, is consistent with past practice of this body and does not violate OMA and we are just referring it to the appropriate committee with proper posting,” Marino said. 

As of the Herald’s press deadline, a special City Council meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. According to the posted agenda, there will be no public comment at the meeting.