After a public spat with city officials, the East Providence Chamber of Commerce earlier this month was asked to vacate its city-owned office space.
East Providence City Manager Paul Lemont told chamber officials on Oct. 8 that the city needs the chamber’s 1,200 square-foot office on Pawtucket Avenue to house the municipal court’s administrative offices. The move came less than three weeks after the chamber publicly questioned the need for proposed increases to the city’s property and sewer-use taxes.
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“We had an excellent rapport with the city up until a month ago,” said Laura Lawrence, the chamber’s executive director. “Whether this is retaliation, I don’t know.”
A Sept. 21 press release issued by the chamber warned that businesses might begin leaving East Providence “if (the city’s) taxes and spending continue to increase.”
Less than two weeks later, two city officials – planning director Jeanne M. Boyle and principal planner James Moran – resigned from their chamber positions. Boyle had served as city liaison to the chamber and Moran served on the chamber’s economic-development committee.
Lemont’s decision to move the chamber out of its office came a week after the resignations, Lawrence said.
Lemont, in a phone interview, adamantly denied that the move was related to the chamber’s vocal opposition to the city’s proposed tax and spending increases. He said the chamber did not have a lease and was renting the space on a month-to-month basis.
“This is a normal business transaction,” Lemont said. “(The chamber) went in there three years ago with the understanding that if (the city) needed the space they would move out. I needed the space and that’s the end of the story.”
Prior to its being asked to leave, the chamber also had come under fire by city council members because chamber officials in the Sept. 21 press release also questioned why the city wants to spend $1.25 million on a new library.
Two city councilors publicly criticized the chamber’s questioning of the library project. The chamber shot back by issuing a press release that day, responding to “accusations” from one of the city council members.
Lawrence said she has “no idea” where the chamber office will relocate, although several East Providence realtors have contacted the chamber about finding new office space. She added that Lemont has been “more than cordial” in agreeing to work with the chamber to find a new office.
