Tiverton Town Council Sued Over 'Laundry List': Attorney General

TIVERTON, RI—Rhode Island Attorney Gen. Peter Kilmartin is suing the Tiverton Town Council and Councilor Randy Lebeau over a piece of paper Lebeau held up during a July meeting. He said it was a "laundry list" of actions the Planning Board should not have undertaken and was reason not to reappoint Susan Gill to another term on the Planning Board.

On July 11, one day after the meeting, Gill asked for the document and made a public records request to the Town Clerk. When the town councilors refused and said Lebeau's "laundry list" was not a public record they maintained, she appealed to the state Attorney General's office. In December, the office found in Gill's favor and told Tiverton to produce the document in 10 days.

However, the Town sent a photograph, which only showed one side of the "laundry list." The Attorney General's office asked for the back side. The Town had until March 20 to comply. They failed to meet the deadline; the lawsuit was filed.

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