Power struggles roil R.I. state board
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Gov. Don Carcieri has ordered members of one state board to attend meetings after their failure to show up forced the cancellation of several summer meetings.

Carcieri sent letters to members of the Coastal Resources Management Council telling them they have an obligation to attend meetings.

''The council's failures could halt coastal development throughout the state,'' Carcieri wrote.

The council regulates many coastal activities, but a large part of its work is reviewing applications to build homes and docks along the waterfront.

Only six of the council's 10 seats are filled. Carcieri and the General Assembly have been arguing over who has the power to make appointments to the council since the passage of separation of powers legislation.

Council member Gerald Zarrella said he has been boycotting meetings because he believes the council's chairman, Michael Tikoian, is doing a bad job. Zarrella and two other council members have signed affidavits saying Tikoian tried to tell them how to vote on the expansion of a Block Island marina.

Zarrella said Tikoian also tried to tell him how to vote on other issues and has had to excuse himself from numerous votes due to conflicts of interest.

Tikoian released a statement saying he takes his job as chairman very seriously and expects other board members to show up to meetings. He did not comment on Zarrella's accusations.


(Published: September 6, 2006)

yes the CRMC, like most of the state agencies are pretty disfunctional. Dealing with them is a pain in the arse, you almost have to hold them at gunpoint.
In an article awhile back, they admitted well over 90% of their time dealing with docks, homes, and marinas. Public access is an afterthought. Some ROW's have been on appeal forever it seems :mad:
From what i know there is only 1 or 2 people working on public access issues in this state....i think the powers that be have them deliberatly underfunded. The were rumours a year or two ago that they might be merged with the dem :uhoh:

Tikoian needs to go.....i hope that they get a good replacement, he will have his work cut out for him.

At least tikoian was on the right side of the champlin's issue.

As much as they can be 'a pain in the ass' people need to realize how much good gets done by CRMC as well, especially by the staff, not the council itself. The behind the scenes people ARE underfunded but have made great strides in things such as building regs on the south shore, dredging regs, habitat restoration to name a few. They have a dedicated ROW person in the staff who is interested in hearing from people who think they have legitimate gripes about an ROW. They also have paired with RISAA and others for the adopt a ROW program... just be careful painting an entire agency with such a broad brush based on hearsay, or limited bad personal dealings with them.

I have attended several CRMC meeting this past year and Michael Tikoian rules these meeting like a dictator. I have seen him shut down viable debates because he disagrees with the view being expressed. I am not a strong supporter of our RI Govenor but I think he is on the right track on this issue

people need to realize how much good gets done by CRMC as well, especially by the staff, not the council itself. They also have paired with RISAA and others for the adopt a ROW program... just be careful painting an entire agency with such a broad brush based on hearsay, or limited bad personal dealings with them.


Well having a good staff is one thing, but when that staff makes a good factual presentation on something, and the politically appointed council votes the other way, something is wrong. How long do you think quality staff members will put up with that before they get fed up and look elsewhere for a job.

look at my profile.....ive been on the access committee since it was started. I'm also the caretaker of RISAA's 1st adopt a spot. I am also one of only three fisherman that recivied an acknowledgment in the new URI/Seagrant public access book.

I may be a young salt, but i didnt just fall off some turnip truck.

First off; ALOT of the staff have been there for a while and are expereinced. you're right about the council I wasnt disagreeing with it, just wanted to clarify that the whole agency isn't bad. Yeah the council probably does need some tweaking. I never implied you 'fell off the turnip truck'. I think it's great you are involved with the Public Access comittee for RISAA.

I was merely defending the staff at Coastal, several of whom I have worked with in the past and consider friends and colleages. No insult was meant to you.

I also rarely look at profiles, noone fills em out anyways.

i must admit that most of my dealings with staff members like kevin cute have been good. My comments were directed toward the council, esp. tikoian.

i apoligize for misunderstanding the last sentence in your original post.