Ken Fiola responds to actions taken by FRRA

WSAR News has received the following statement from Ken Fiola – BC EDC, regarding last night’s RDA meeting:

I am deeply saddened and disheartened by the recent actions of the Fall River Redevelopment Authority (FRRA). Last night the FRRA intentionally chose to hold a meeting knowing that I was on vacation and unable to attend and answer any of their questions.

With the exception of one member, Joe Oliveira, the FRRA Board denied my November 13th request to hold the meeting when I was back from vacation. Instead of agreeing to meet when I was back from vacation, the FRRA posted a meeting on November 14th for a Friday night meeting on November 16th. On November 15th I asked the FRRA Chair to patch me into the meeting via phone or FaceTime. This request was agreed to by the Chair and I stood by on November 16th waiting to be plugged into the meeting but the call to participate never came in as the FRRA Board refused to patch me into the meeting so I could answer questions.

Rather than rescheduling the meeting at a time in which I was available or allowing me to be patched into the November 16th meeting, the FRRA met and conducted a kangaroo court to sever a very productive twenty-year economic development relationship. Review of the meeting tape clearly shows that the majority of FRRA Board members acted as judge and juror with a complete disregard of process.

The FRRA purposely took this opportunity to make false statements about the audit requirements, City Pier and Old Second Street project. They also made numerous false accusations against the Bristol County Economic Development Consultants (BC EDC) and myself as the overseer of these projects. Their accusation of gross negligence and misconduct exhibited by me would be laughable if it weren’t so damning to the BC EDC and myself. These accusations are without merit but nevertheless very serious and long lasting.

Logical and satisfactory answers to their questions and concerns could have been provided by myself as part of the meeting but the FRRA was not interested in answers. Rather, as appointees of the Mayor, the majority of FRRA members were interested in carrying forth an ugly political agenda initiated by the Correia administration to undermine the BC EDC and my personal and professional reputation.

Upon my return from vacation, I will provide answers to the issues raised and documentation to support those answers. In the meantime, the BC EDC and I will respectively explore our legal options against the FRRA with regard to breach of contract as well as slander and defamation of character against those FRRA members who willfully and maliciously chose to tarnish my reputation.

For more developments from last night’s meeting including video, click here.