DiMattia Resigns From Treasurer's Office

Amid a with the and accusations that he violated the Town Charter for moving to Middletown, Tiverton Town Treasurer Philip DiMattia has resigned.

He sent a letter to Town Council President Jay Lambert on Feb. 2 declaring that he would be resigning effective Friday, Feb. 4.

In light of the matter, a council hearing regarding his residency in question scheduled for Saturday morning, Feb. 5, at has been canceled. Now, the council is charged to fill the treasurer’s vacancy until the term expires in November 2012.

On Thursday morning over the phone, Lambert said the council’s first task, and their meeting Monday night, Feb. 7, will be to research the steps to appoint a new town treasurer.

“Personally, I can’t speak for the Town Council, I regret what’s happened and I wish Mr. DiMattia the best of luck,” Lambert said. “I think he did what he thought was best for the town and what was best for his personal situation.”

In his memo, DiMattia said he recently “to be closer to a family member who is dealing with some serious issues,” which he said he considered a private family matter.

“Because I treat my duties with the utmost seriousness, before I relocated I sought legal counsel regarding what effect my move would have on my ability to serve as treasurer,” he wrote. “I was advised by my lawyer that if I relocated to Middletown, this would not disqualify me from completing my term as elected full-time town treasurer.”

A message seeking additional comment was left at DiMattia’s office Thursday morning.

Town Administrator James Goncalo said he received DiMattia’s resignation memo on Wednesday. He said that, in the past, the town has appointed a treasurer for the balance of the remaining term.

“Unless any interim decision is made by the townspeople to go from an elected treasurer to an appointed treasurer, or finance director,” Goncalo said on Thursday morning. “For now, I would most likely assume the duties while we’re searching for the replacement, and it would normally, [as] in the past, gone the normal route of hiring or appointing an employee.”

Goncalo said the Tiverton Personnel Board would recommend three candidates to the Town Council.

Last month, resident Mike Burk filed a charter complaint with the town about DiMattia no longer residing in town, which prompted the previously scheduled Feb. 5 meeting. Burk alleged DiMattia, an elected official, violated Town Charter wherein the person sitting in elected office must be a qualified elector for that office.

In his Feb. 2 letter, DiMattia stated he “firmly” believed the allegation is incorrect.

“Though I am confident that the charter complaint is without merit, the process that it has triggered has placed an enormous strain on me, and more importantly my family,” he wrote. “This process has already consumed a tremendous amount of my time. I moved to Middletown so I could be more available for my family.”

DiMattia continues, “The opposite is now true. In addition to the time at hearings, council meetings and consultation with lawyers, the cost of defending myself has been and will be considerable. Moreover, I am not the only one who faces these costs.”

He added that he "cannot in good conscience" burden his family or the town with the legal fees of a prolonged hearing, prompting him to tender his resignation.

During his term as treasurer, DiMattia stated that his primary goals were to “restore fiscal discipline, ensuring accountability and place the town on sound financial footing.”

He stated he felt he reached those benchmarks, with the 2010 audit now complete and filed with the Auditor General’s office.

“I am confident that Tiverton is on a solid fiscal path with a surplus of $1,891,466 which is way above the 3% charter requirement,” he wrote.