Everett City Council Roundup

By Neil Zolot

The City Council on Monday evening defeated a proposal to reconsider a vote to not extend the appointment of Mirlande Felissaint as Director of Elections/Registrar made at the October 15 meeting, although she will remain in the position until a successor is found. It was a close vote of 6-5. Votes against reconsideration were cast by Councillors-at-Large Guerline Alcy Jabouin, Katy Rogers and Stephanie Smith and City Council President Robert Van Campen, Ward 4 Councillor Holly Garcia and Ward 6 Councillor Peter Pietrantonio. Votes for reconsideration were cast by Councillors-at-Large John Hanlon and Michael Marchese, Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Matewsky, Ward 2 Councillor Stephanie Martins and Ward 3 Councillor Anthony DiPierro.

The earlier vote was primarily on the basis of her lack of experience and infrequency of voting. “This is a waste of time,” Pietrantonio said on October 28. “The Council already voted no. Unless she’s been certified since the last time, I’m not voting for her.”

Hanlon said he had spoken to Felissaint since October 15 and found her to be “very capable. I think she can handle the job.”

The vote against reconsideration precluded any vote on the appointment itself.

The Council tabled two items until November calling for the Administration to “provide the City Council with copies of any lease, rental or operating agreements in effect at the former Everett High School by and between the City and the Broadway Boxing Club and the Elliot Family Resource Center, both located at the old High School, 548 Broadway, and “provide the City Council with an update on its ongoing efforts to reclaim the former Everett High School for expanded school purposes, including the relocation of certain other non­educational uses within the facility and the re-use and redevelopment of the former Pope John property,” 888 Broadway, but mostly facing Lafayette Street, to allow the members to digest information they’ve received. “I’m just seeing e-mails on this I haven’t had a chance to read,” Van Campen said.

Members want to know where the boxing club and Eliot Family Resource Center, among other occupants of the old High School, might be relocated in light of plans from School Superintendent William Hart to spend $72 million to relocate seventh and eighth grades from neighborhood schools to that location.

In response to an item from Alcy Jabouin that “the Administration consider replenishing the Emergency Food and Shelter Assistant Program Account at the Connolly Center from the ARPA [American Rescue Plan Act] funds as their budget has dried out,” the City’s Chief Financial Officer, Eric Demas, was called to answer questions. “We’ve been having issues for people that need help,” Alcy Jabouin told him. “They’ve been told there aren’t funds.”

Demas confirmed services are granted on a “first come, first served” basis for assistance with rent and mortgage payments, food and utilities, but ARPA doesn’t cover utilities because they’re funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “It’s a federal grant passed through the state, which passes it on to the city,” he said. “Congress passed a bill last month for $56,000,” but, he added, there was a technical error and “the funds were not addressed the way we needed it, but the issue has been resolved.”

He also said aid funds can’t be used by consumers for municipally provided utilities like water and sewer service because “we’d be paying ourselves,” but can be used for other utilities. He also said any appropriation of ARPA finds would have to be approved by the Council in light of Mayor Carlo DeMaria’s policy of not funding new items without it.

In Public Comment, High School graduate Thalia Patino Molano and current High School senior Mayra Gutierrez spoke in Spanish and English regarding the need for translation services for city meetings. “It’s come to my attention some of you think I’m here to waste your time,” Patino Molano said in reference to remarks made by Hanlon on October 15 that remarks in languages other than English are frustrating because Councillors can’t understand them. “I ask one or many of you to ask where’s the petition I filed two months ago on how an interpreter [can] be budgeted,” a reference to previous October 15 Council action to refer the matter back to provide information on funding.

“Do something about interpretation services,” Gutierrez added. “Please do your job.”

Both also addressed the School Committee on October 7 about interpretive services for tests and that instruction be given in those languages.