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Office of the Mayor

WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND

 

Christine Chamberland Appointed City of Woonsocket Interim Finance Director

 

WOONSOCKET, R.I: Mayor Christopher Beauchamp announced today that effective July 30, Christine Chamberland will serve as Interim Finance Director for the City of Woonsocket. Chamberland has worked in multiple capacities within the city’s Finance Department for over 33 years, including Finance Director. Currently, she is working as the city’s Enterprise Fund Finance Administrator, a position she will continue while assuming the role of Interim Finance Director. Chamberland replaces Christine Coutu, who has left for another job opportunity.

Chamberland will oversee all the city’s finance operations, including accounting, treasury, assessing, and personnel. Beauchamp highlighted that Chamberland’s top priority is to finalize the Fiscal Year 2023 audit which is underway with the city’s new auditors, Marcum LLP. The Mayor is reallocating existing resources and will be adding outside temporary assistance to fortify the Finance Department. Beauchamp also offered that the city would search for a permanent finance director after the Fiscal Year 2023 audit is completed and the Fiscal Year 2024 audit is underway.

Mayor Beauchamp expressed his confidence in Chamberland, stating, "We are fortunate to be able to appoint a highly experienced finance professional like Christine Chamberland as Interim Finance Director. Christine Chamberland knows every financial function in the city and will be able to step in and provide leadership to our department heads in furthering the city’s finance-related goals."

There are reports the Justice Department is investigating Minnesota's governor and the Minneapolis mayor. Multiple outlets cite U.S. officials saying Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey are being investigated for allegedly obstructing federal law enforcement. One official says the investigation centers on statements the two leaders have made about the thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents deployed to Minneapolis. Their presence has sparked protests, which have grown since the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer last week.        Court is done for the week in the Charlie Kirk assassination case in Utah. Lawyers for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of shooting the conservative personality at a rally in September, argued a key prosecutor has a family member who was present at the time Kirk was shot. They say that communications between them raise concerns over impartiality and the prosecution's decision to seek the death penalty, and argue the prosecutor should be disqualified.        President Trump says he currently doesn't have reason to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. Before leaving the White House for Florida on Friday, Trump was asked about using the act as protests continue in Minneapolis. Trump said there's no reason to use it at this time, adding, that if he "needed it, it's available" to him. The Insurrection Act would give Trump the authority to deploy the military to suppress a rebellion on American soil.        Virginia Senate Democrats are sending a redistricting amendment to voters for approval. If voters support the amendment in a special election, which is expected to be on the spring ballot, the Legislature would be able to redraw the state's congressional map before midterms. Democrats currently have a six-five edge in the state's congressional delegation, looking to control either a ten-one or nine-two split for the new map.        Renee Good was unresponsive when first responders arrived after she was shot by an ICE agent last week in Minneapolis. A newly released incident report from the Minneapolis Fire Department offered more clarity into the incident, with Good having two apparent gunshot wounds to her right chest, one on her left forearm and another possible wound on the left side of her head. Good's killing has led to protests nationwide, while the Trump administration is calling her a "domestic terrorist."        Bad Bunny is previewing his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show performance. The video shows the singer walking through a forest while playing a song from his most recent album, soon joined by dancers off all different ages and cultures. It ends with a message saying "the world" - all different ages, races and styles - "will dance." Bad Bunny's choice as the headliner of the halftime show has drawn conservative backlash, with the Trump Administration threatening to have ICE agents at the game.       

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