Late in campaign, Avedisian makes appearance with Stenhouse

By JOHN HOWELL
Posted 10/30/18

By JOHN HOWELL Former mayor Scott Avedisian, who has been politically silent since assuming the role of president and CEO of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) this spring, made an appearance at Shalom apartments Friday as Republican

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Late in campaign, Avedisian makes appearance with Stenhouse

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Former mayor Scott Avedisian, who has been politically silent since assuming the role of president and CEO of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) this spring, made an appearance at Shalom apartments Friday as Republican candidate for mayor, Sue Stenhouse, treated residents to clamcakes and chowder.

There was no press advisory he would make an appearance, and it was by happenstance that a reporter chose Stenhouse’s visit to Shalom as an opportunity to see her on the campaign trail. Mayor Joseph Solomon is slated to visit the complex tomorrow at lunch.

Avedisian circulated among the tables, stopping to chat with a number of people. Then standing at the front of the room, with Stenhouse beside him, he recalled earlier visits to Shalom.

“I wanted to come back just to say thank you for the wonderful relationship we had for more than 19 years. You made me feel like I was a part of your family in many respects,” said Avedisian.

In what might be the closest thing to an endorsement, Avedisian said, “What I like about her [Stenhouse] is when she doesn't have an answer, she tells you that she doesn't know. And she goes and finds the answer and gets back to you.”

Since resigning as mayor after serving 18 years, Avedisian has made few appearances with Stenhouse. He dropped in at her announcement, but didn’t address those gathered at Chelo’s Restaurant on Post Road. He didn’t make an appearance at the opening of Stenhouse’s headquarters, his former headquarters at Airport Plaza.

Asked whether he would endorse Stenhouse last week, Avedisian emailed the following statement: “Without a doubt, I will vote for Sue Stenhouse. She and I have been friends since I was a member of the City Council and she was the PTA president at E.T. Wyman Elementary School. We first met over school safety issues, parking issues, and the need to upgrade the playground. And we have been friends ever since. Make no mistake about it, we do not always agree. But when Sue disagrees with someone, she is able to disagree without being petty or personal. She has great leadership skills, listens well, and takes her time in making decisions. I think she will learn the job, work hard, and well represent the people of Warwick as Mayor. She has tremendous energy and enthusiasm and I think she brings all of these good qualities to the office.”

On Friday, Avedisian stayed at Shalom for less than 20 minutes, leaving soon after Stenhouse addressed the gathering.

In an interview, Stenhouse said she has refrained from asking Avedisian to be involved in her campaign, as she does not want voters seeing her as attempting to ride his coattails and because she wants voters to judge her on her achievements and aspirations for the city.

“I’m Sue Stenhouse. I’m not going to be anybody else but myself,” she said.

In remarks, Stenhouse thanked Avedisian. She said she has the vision, energy and experience to make a difference going forward.

“I think one of the greatest things I appreciated in serving with Mayor Avedisian [Stenhouse was the Ward 1 Councilwoman] was that things were calm, things were steady, things were stable. That started even before Scott with Mayor Linc Chafee. And I want to be the third in that line to keep that stability, but also have the energy to make things new, to improve upon things that maybe we need a little more improvement on like constituent services and to really make a dive into solving problems not just for today, but for tomorrow,” she said.

Stenhouse said if elected she would look to implement cost saving measures being used by other cities and towns across the country.

“Senior issues are near and dear to my heart, as well as education, as well as business development. Because all of these things are a part of our community and all come together and all of them have something to do with economic development in one way or another,” she said. Stenhouse talked briefly how she instituted changes and programs as director of the Cranston Enrichment Center and reinvested bingo pot money into the center.

She said she was troubled by a report that the Warwick Fire Department was dependent on loaner apparatus from other municipalities because of breakdowns. She noted the city has an aging population and that demand on rescue services are increasing. The department has four rescue companies.

“We need to have reliable vehicles,” she said.

Stenhouse followed up talking to seniors. Asked by a reporter why she made no reference to Mayor Solomon, Stenhouse said she deliberately wanted to avoid going on the attack and the chowder event was designed to introduce herself.

But Stenhouse was not hesitant to go on the attack.

“He’s not doing anything,” she told a reporter. “He’s totally ineffective.”

Later that afternoon she forwarded a press release where she elaborated.

“It is very concerning to me, as it is with many other residents, that our wonderful city is frequently being negatively featured in the news over the past several weeks as the result of a number of crises involving our city departments since May,” she said. “Due to the Acting Mayor’s lack of leadership, his inability to effectively build consensus and successfully communicate a plan of action, the city has been stalled on several important matters that affect constituent services from education to building permits to emergency rescue apparatus. There appears to be absolutely no sense of urgency by Acting Mayor Solomon in getting results, or making an effort to take the smallest of steps toward thoughtfully addressing these issues in a timely manner.”

Stenhouse listed no resolution, articulated plan or substantive status reports on the school department funding issue (which has compounded other issues including after school programming, school cleanliness and, of course, the well-publicized cut to the mentoring program); the Annex redevelopment, which she said is negatively impacting city employees and their ability to deliver convenient constituent services; repurposing the vacant, surplus city properties in the city’s neighborhoods; the costly delay to purchase and install new street lighting; the lack of sound and maintained rescue vehicles; the sick time pay issue with the fire department and the “neglect of Warwick’s iconic Conimicut Lighthouse, which goes back 14 years.”

“Acting Mayor Solomon seems paralyzed during an election year, which is especially concerning given Warwick’s terms of elected service of every two years. Losing substantive ground on these issues over the past six months is putting the city in a very tenuous situation. We need someone with vision and leadership that is willing to address and solve these issues in a timely manner. I believe I am that candidate,” she said in a statement.

She went on to say she would have held “robust negotiations” to address the school budget; that if elected she would name a panel of real estate experts to assess all surplus city properties; pursue grants and funding sources to repair the city’s fleet of rescue vehicles; pursue insurance claims so as to move on with a new City Hall Annex; and look to get reimbursements from municipalities when specially trained Warwick firefighters respond to calls in other municipalities requiring their expertise. She noted this would require amending mutual aid agreements.

If elected, she said, “I will appoint a dedicated visionary to lead the effort to restore and maintain Warwick’s treasured Conimicut Lighthouse.”

Comments

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  • Bob_Cushman

    The two sides to Sue Stenhouse:

    Fake Sue: "when Sue disagrees with someone, she is able to disagree without being petty or personal".

    Real Sue: In the Fall of 2008 Sue Stenhouse produced and distributed a letter personally attacking a Warwick city councilor, labeling him "dishonest", "careless", “disrespectful” and "destructive" because she disagreed with his positions.

    Fake Sue says, "She went on to say she would have held “robust negotiations” to address the school budget".

    Real Sue: As a member of the RIPEC Municipal Consolidation Committee, had an opportunity to investigate inefficiencies in city government consolidate school services and refused.

    Fake Sue says she wants a responsible fiscal agenda.

    Real Sue Voted against giving the City Council the right to ratify labor contracts negotiated by the Mayor. 

    Fake Sue recently met with the Pilgrim Neighborhood Association and airport officials to address concerns about airport noise.

    Real Sue proposed changes to the Airport Land Commission while on the city council to limit public input about airport noise and other neighborhood concerns.

    Fake Sue makes a man dress an elderly woman to improve senior event optics.

    Real Sue "Resigns from her job, swears at Channel 10 reporter and her antics results in Provident Journal headline "Cross-dresser at event turns Cranston into 'laughing stock' and makes international news.

    Can you really trust Sue Stenhouse as Warwick's mayor!

    Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    No way I am voting for her, and I dont know anyone who is.

    Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Report this

  • Scal1024

    If Avedisian thought Stenhouse had a chance of winning, he would officially endorse her. By not endorsing her what he is really saying is "I support her, but she's not going to win." It would be embarrassing for the former Mayor to spend political capital endorsing Stenhouse, only to have her blown out in the election by Joe Solomon. By campaigning with Stenhouse low-key, Avedisian can say he tried without taking blame for the loss. He wasn't Mayor for almost 20 years because he's a dumb politician. He knows what he's doing.

    Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Keep your eyes peeled. More stuff coming down the pipe.

    Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Report this

  • WarwickObserver

    Hey, isn’t Avedisian being paid out of federal DOT funds? Isn’t there a law called the Hatch act that forbids federal employees from actively participating in partisan politics?

    Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    Looks like that only bars avedisian from running for office since he is only partly paid from federal monies, and not a direct federal employee. The Hatch Act seems to bar direct federal employees from political support activities.

    Hatch Act From Wiki: The Hatch Act of 1939, officially An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities, is a United States federal law whose main provision prohibits employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the president, vice-president, and certain designated high-level officials,[1] from engaging in some forms of political activity.

    It provides that persons below the policy-making level in the executive branch of the federal government must not only refrain from political practices that would be illegal for any citizen, but must abstain from "any active part" in political campaigns

    An amendment on July 19, 1940 extended the Act to certain employees of state and local governments whose positions are primarily paid for by federal funds. It has been interpreted to bar political activity on the part of employees of state agencies administering federal unemployment insurance programs and appointed local law enforcement agency officials with oversight of federal grant funds. The Hatch Act bars state and local government employees from running for public office if any federal funds support the position, even if the position is funded almost entirely with local funds.[10]

    The Merit Systems Protection Board and the Office of Special Counsel are responsible for enforcement of the Hatch Act.

    Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Report this

  • Ward4Rep

    Senior issues are near and dear to my heart -- which is why I paid a bus driver to cross dress to make it look as if I was effective at my last job.

    With a week to go before voting starts, it doesn't seem like Sue Steakhouse has been able to find an issue that has any traction. Most tellingly was the issue of the light house, as it came up during the debate. Why did she suddenly decide it was an issue when it was never an issue when Scott was mayor up until May?

    Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    der is only one real choice in dis erection, write in master taxpayers mayer (remember the spelling). I wants to see him in as our mayyer on november 6. or at least enough right in votes so he makes the official count list. we needs at least ten folks to do this.

    vote for

    master taxpaers mayer on november 6

    Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Report this

  • Cat2222

    Her Hail Mary pass has failed. Her entire campaign has failed to launch. Bringing in the former mayor put the last nail in her coffin.

    Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Justanidiot,

    Every day I keep getting people approaching me (unsolicited) saying they want to write me in. Thanks for your endorsement old friend, but there are only really two candidates, Sue and Joe. Please vote, but vote for one of those. As for Avedisians non-participation in Stenhouse's campaign, Scal1024 is right. Avedisian isn't a dumb politician, but supporting a fellow Republican is a matter of loyalty and you don't have to be dumb to be loyal. Avedisian should care enough about his own party to be there every day for the candidate of his party. So far, he's tallied about 45 minutes in total. That's unfair, unkind and politically just wrong in my opinion. Sorry Sue. You deserved better.

    Happy Election everyone. Please get out and VOTE!

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    Scal and Justanidiot, I am sure you see the many glaring defects in the two-time election reject's comment that the former mayor "should care enough about his own party to be there every day for the candidate of his party."

    Let's review how the two-time election reject has "been there" for Mayor Solomon...

    - Accused Mayor Solomon of manipulating the tax assessments on his properties [after repeatedly lying about his own assessments and tax delinquency].

    - Named Mayor Solomon a "political insider" [after accepting campaign funds from many of these same people in 2016].

    - Claimed that Mayor Solomon "bought votes" with the money raised by the recent tax increase [after supporting the FY18 budget -- including $4.5 million more for the teacher contract -- that led directly to that tax increase].

    - Refused to endorse either general election candidate until they spoke with him and/or supported his failed campaign statements [while criticizing Avedisian for not being more active in supporting Stenhouse].

    I should note that he made all of these statements after the Democratic primary where he lost in a blowout.

    And yet again, he makes a statement about someone else that is far more appropriate for him:

    "That's unfair, unkind and politically just wrong in my opinion."

    I am sure that we and the thousands of our honest, taxpaying neighbors who rejected his candidacy a second time in September will have a happy election knowing that the two-time election loser's name is not on the ballot.

    Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    i said to rite in

    master taxpayers mayer

    If that wins, it will be up to the board of erections who that is.

    Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    Former mayor Avediasian would have campaigned earlier for Ms. Stenhouse but he took RIPTA.

    Thursday, November 1, 2018 Report this