by Matt Obert
Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE), the Olneyville Neighborhood Association, and RI Jobs with Justice are calling for applications for a seat on the Providence City Planning Commission (CPC) that will become vacant in January 2007. CPC members are appointed by the mayor for unpaid volunteer positions which last for five-year terms. Members must be Providence residents.
Harrison Bilodeau’s five-year term expires in January 2007. His company, Bilodeau Property Management, manages $150 million worth of East Side real estate. His name may also be familiar to Ward One residents as an independent in the four-way race which brought David Segal to City Council in 2002 as a Green Party candidate. Bilodeau may simply be reappointed by Mayor Cicilline and begin another five-year term, but thanks to the involvement of community groups, there is an opportunity for the CPC to gain new blood and a fresh perspective.
On October 6, DARE demanded that Cicilline create an open nomination procedure for all appointments to the CPC, based on the School Board nomination process. Since the mayor did not act, DARE has taken the unusual step of organizing its own nomination process. In doing so, their goals are to promote awareness of the CPC’s existence and function, invite public dialogue, and give Providence residents an opportunity to have questions answered in an open, transparent process.
Interested individuals should send one copy of their resume and letter of interest to DARE at 340 Lockwood Street, Providence RI 02907 and one copy to Mayor David N. Cicilline, City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street, Providence RI 02903 by December 15. DARE will host a public candidate forum at 6pm on December 18, in which community members will be able to interview prospective candidates. (At press time, the location is still undetermined, but DARE’s Sara Mersha says they’re hoping the forum will be at City Hall.) DARE will collect all the applications they’ve received and deliver them to the Mayor on December 22, along with a written report on the results of the forum, plus DARE’s own recommendations.
For more information, contact DARE at 401-351-6960.
