Councilor blasts Lantigua

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September 6, 2010

Marc Laplante said mayor ignored at least one well-qualified candidate in nominating Patrick Blanchette as economic development director

By Mark E. Vogler mvogler@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Mon Sep 06, 2010, 01:15 AM EDT

LAWRENCE — With the City Council set to vote on whether to confirm former council President Patrick Blanchette as economic development director tomorrow night, at least one member is challenging the selection process used by Mayor William Lantigua.

Councilor Marc Laplante last week requested a legal opinion from City Attorney Charles Boddy on whether city regulations required the mayor to offer the job instead to former Planning Director Michael Sweeney, who was laid off earlier this year.

"The Lawrence Administrative Code states that when an opening occurs in a similar class, that the laid off individual must be offered that job," Laplante said. "I am waiting for a legal opinion from the city attorney to advise if the ED position and the planning director's position are in the same class. If so, then Blanchette should not be the nominee for the ED position," he said.

Yesterday, Leonard Degnan, Mayor Lantigua's chief of staff, dismissed Laplante's challenge, stating that Sweeney's former role as planning director is a "totally separate position" from that of economic development director.

"There's no logic," said Degnan of Laplante's argument. "We don't anticipate a problem."

Last month, the council's Personnel Committee voted 2-1 to refer Blanchette's appointment to the full council with a recommendation for confirmation. Laplante cast the dissenting vote, claiming that Blanchette — who has been performing the job in an acting capacity since Lantigua took office last January — doesn't meet the education and experience requirements.

Laplante said he would move to block Blanchette's appointment if a legal opinion determines the job should have been offered to Sweeney.

In his first day in office on Jan. 5, Lantigua fired Sweeney and two other department heads, saying they didn't share his "views, mission, vision or philosophy for the city."

But the termination was later overturned when four of the nine city councilors voted to keep Sweeney in his job. Two days later, Lantigua laid off Sweeney — a move that Laplante opposed.

Laplante also wants to know why the city's one-time economic development officer Robert Luongo wasn't listed among the 11 applicants even thought he applied.

Luongo received high praise from two mayors and the City Council during his five years working for the city before stepping down in August 2001 to become director of the New Bedford Economic Development Council.

"Luongo has a master's degree in public administration, and has 40 years of service as either director of either community development or economic development for Wakefield, Chelsea, Lawrence, New Bedford and Weymouth," Laplante said.

"If his application is missing, how many more are missing or not provided to the City Council? He (Luongo) clearly is more qualified than Blanchette," Laplante said.

While admitting he lacked the educational experience in community development and the five years of professional experience, Blanchette cited his 10 years serving on the City Council as qualifying him for the position.

"I believe that my institutional knowledge of the city along with my ability to interact with all sectors of our community, make me a true asset to this position," Blanchette wrote the mayor in his application for the permanent appointment.

During his interview before the Personnel Committee last month, Blanchette also noted that he was a political appointment and would be serving at the pleasure of the mayor.

Blanchette asked Laplante if he knew who U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton supported for president. Noting that Clinton supported President Barack Obama, Blanchette tried to make a comparison to his own situation.

"This is an admission that his selection for ED was political payback because Blanchette endorsed Lantigua for mayor and received his nomination similar to the Clinton-Obama selection," Laplante said.

Interim Personnel Director Frank Bonet noted in his report to the mayor that "all candidates were qualified and were very strong in their interviews as well as bringing much experience and education with them."

"But at the end, this selection is an appointment of the mayor and is an appointment to work at the will of the mayor and is a position that expires at the end of the mayor's term," Bonet wrote.

Laplante has protested that the mayor never provided applications of all the applicants for the economic development director's job, preventing the council from knowing how many well-qualified candidates were overlooked.

Another appointment being challenged by Laplante is the mayor's nomination of acting police Deputy Chief Melix Bonilla to the permanent position.

Laplante authored a proposal that would eliminate the position of deputy chief, a measure that will be considered by councilors tomorrow night.

Lawrence police Chief John Romero said he supported Laplante's proposal. With the elimination of 41 positions — including 24 officers who lost their jobs through layoffs in early July to balance the city's budget, Romero said he no longer sees the need for any deputy chiefs in his department until the police positions are restored.

Lantigua, whose campaign manager last fall was Bonilla, called the chief's support of Laplante's proposal politically motivated

The appointment of Bonilla, a 22-year veteran, has been controversial since Lantigua made it in January.

Lantigua promoted Bonilla from the rank of sergeant to acting deputy chief after Lantigua's inauguration. Michael Driscoll, who was named deputy in 2007 by Mayor Michael Sullivan, on Romero's recommendation, was demoted to captain.

The council meeting starts at 7 p.m.

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