NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. — North Providence Mayor Charlie Lombardi is defending the use of town Department of Public Works employees and equipment to repair his personal truck following recent storm cleanup efforts, according to WPRI.
Video showed the mayor’s 2006 Chevy Silverado, which is not a town vehicle, inside a DPW garage on a lift while other municipal vehicles were parked outside.
Lombardi confirmed the truck is his and said it was used to help plow town roads during the recent blizzard and other winter storms. He said when the vehicle broke down, the DPW director offered to repair it if he paid for the parts.
The town is still recovering from the blizzard, and DPW staffing is reportedly down to 16 employees. Some residents are questioning why the vehicle was repaired at a municipal facility rather than being sent to a private repair shop, including Cumberland Collision, which has been publicly linked to the mayor’s family. Others have raised concerns about whether a private vehicle qualifies for tax exempt purchasing through the town.
Records show multiple parts were purchased through the town’s account at a reduced, tax exempt rate. Lombardi said he was waiting for the bill and did not handle how the parts were ordered.
As we previously reported, Lombardi stated his street, Evergreen Parkway, had been plowed twice during the state of emergency while nearby streets were not cleared to the same extent. Residents noted his road appeared down to the pavement while surrounding streets remained snow covered.
The mayor also acknowledged he uses the truck for his private businesses but maintains the damage occurred while plowing town streets.
This is not the first time questions have surfaced regarding the use of town resources. In 2022, reports revealed town workers and equipment were used at a property he had purchased, including work connected to his Narragansett beach house. At the time, Lombardi said the employees were not on city time, that he reimbursed them, and that the matter was addressed internally. More recently, there have also been questions raised about certain real estate transactions involving the mayor.
Leave a comment