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Politics & Government

False Cry for Public Safety

City Councilor Peter Blais says he is concerned about public safety with his opposition to the Attleboro Farmers Market. His public record shows that is not the case.

On Tuesday night, the City Council held a meeting .

The main stumbling block seemed to be the hue and cry of "public safety." The discussion about public safety, at times, reached a level of hysteria by City Councilor Peter Blais. He screamed, tossed his pen and kept hitting the back of his chair so hard that I thought it might break, and I feared for his safety. Mr. Blais was rude, accusatory and insulting to "those people" and "them," referring to the residents that cared enough to attend the meeting.

Mr. Blais needs to be reminded who "those people" are. They are the residents of Attleboro and Mr. Blais works for them. Remember? Mr. Blais is a guest in the "house" that belongs to the people of this city.

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Mr Blais used his "concern for public safety" as the excuse for his outrageous behavior. I would like to challenge this ridiculous contention. City Councilor Jonathan Weydt and City Councilor Jay DiLisio both did their due diligence and met with the highest ranking public safety official in the City – Police Chief Kyle Haegney. Both councilors reported that Chief Heaney had told them that the farmers market situation did not rise to the level of needing a police detail. Who is Mr. Blais to question our police chief on matters of public safety?

Mr. Blais is a public figure and his stances on public safety are well documented. Mr. Blair led the charge AGAINST the ordinance that would require Attleboro to hire paramedics only. Mr. Blais led the charge AGAINST a wetland ordinance that was instated to protect our drinking water. How's that for a record for a city councilor that shouts "public safety" whenever he doesn't like something?

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Mr. Blais does not want the farmers market held at 74 North main street. That is clear. It is also clear to me that "public safety" is not the reason. Hopefully, you will never need to call 911, but if you do, just remember that if Mr. Blais had had his way, you might not have a paramedic to answer your call. 

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