NORTH PROVIDENCE - Democrat Joseph Giammarco, a candidate in the Town Council District 2 race, vying against former acting mayor, John Sisto, said in a press release:

"My opponent stated in Sept. 2006 he was a staunch advocate of preserving the last piece of significant open space that we have left in the town of North Providence, also known as Camp Meehan.

"It is astounding to me that several months after this statement, his mayoral campaign accepted the maximum $1,000 campaign contributions, totalling over $6,000 from the Petrarca and Mesollela development group and their family members."

The development group has proposed building condominiums on the site, and failing that, an amusement park. The developer and the town are locked in a court battle over the zoning of the land.

Giammarco continued in the press release.

"These same individuals have tried to make a mockery of the town of North Providence and would like to destroy this open space with either an amusement park or dense family housing.

"The $6,000 total represented over 10 percent of Mr. Sisto's total mayoral campaign war chest and was a deliberate attempt by these developers to try and circumvent the Rhode Island campaign finance laws.

"I feel that all residents interested in preserving Camp Meehan need to look at the money trail paved by the would-be developers in assessing Mr. Sisto's true intentions when it comes to protecting the quality of life we all now enjoy in North Providence and preserving the little open space we have left."