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."

The Thanksgiving travel rush is on. The TSA expects to screen over 18-million flyers between today and next Tuesday, and today's the busiest with 52-thousand flights scheduled nation-wide. Officials say air traffic control staffing is back up to pre-government shutdown levels, and flights are largely on-schedule.        Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is asking travelers to be courteous as airports brace for a busy holiday season. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Duffy called on the public to "maybe dress a little better, which encourages us to maybe behave all a little better." Duffy emphasized the importance of being well dressed and added, "let's try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport."        Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is ordering the US Navy to complete a review by early next month of the DOD complaint against Senator Mark Kelly and five other Democrats who encouraged military members to refuse to follow illegal orders. Hegseth referred the allegations against Kelly to Navy Secretary John Phelan, ordering a report back by December 10th. The Democratic lawmakers appeared in a viral video and urged service members to a disregard the orders they thought were unlawful.        Inflation is outpacing home prices for the fourth straight month. The latest S&P Case-Shiller National Home Price Index posted a one-point-three percent annual gain for September which is down slightly from the previous month. September's CPI came in one-point-seven percent above housing appreciation.        More people are expected to be on the hunt for deals this week on Black Friday. But according to a new survey, they'll be looking to spend less than they did last year. Deloitte's 2025 Holiday Retail Survey shows that on average, consumers who plan to shop during the Black Friday to Cyber Monday period expect to spend 622 dollars, down four percent from a year ago.