To the Editor,

In regard to Councilwoman Germain's Apr. 19th response to the Mayor's accusations against her, I believe Ms. Germain presents a well written statement providing specific details of the process as it has unfolded. Nothing here seems out of line or “obstructionist.” I understand the sense of urgency expressed by the Mayor; however, it appears that by raising questions and concerns, Ms. Germain, along with others on the Council, is simply trying to do due diligence in her role as a Council member. The Mayor stated that he does not want to “throw good money after bad." That is reassuring to hear, and it should serve as a point of commonality between the Mayor and Ms. Germain and the Council. Clearly the disagreement is about which plan would be more fiscally responsible to pursue. Therefore, I would respectfully ask that the Hopkins administration support Ms. Germain’s effort to get answers to all relevant questions about the project, including the issue of the pool lining, by inviting Mr. Liberatore, former Parks and Recreation Director, to share his knowledge with the Council.

Finally, I implore the Mayor not to make this a personal or political issue, but to remember that the Council represents the residents of Cranston. These questions are OUR questions, and the funds being discussed are OUR funds. If we can use $3 million rather than $7 million to provide residents a renovated pool and bathhouse, I’m sure we can all agree that the savings could be put to good use in other areas of need in our city. We can get further when we all pull together!

David Wasser

Cranston