Mayor informs City Council new fire chief search will remain internal

Councillors push back against Nat’l Grid over river path access

By Neil Zolot

EVERETT – City Councillors learned that training for the evaluation process for a new Fire Chief will include exercises in handling situations, dealing with employees, problem solving and community and media relations exercises, at their meeting on Monday, February 26. “It seems like we’re moving along,” Ward 2 Councillor Stephanie Martins said about the process – conducted by the Assessment Center and overseen by Parow Consulting for the City – that will yield a new Chief in May or June.

In the meantime, Deputy Chief Joseph Hickey has been named as Acting Chief, after Sabato LoRusso returned to his position as Administrative Deputy Chief. Hickey was named to the position, in part, because of his seniority and is applying to be appointed permanently.

The Councillors also received an update from Mayor Carlo DeMaria and Human Resources Director Terri Ronco on the process to find a new Police Chief due to the pending retirement of Chief Steven Mazzie from the position. DeMaria informed the council in a communication that the position will be posted internally with officers at the rank of sergeant or higher eligible. “It’s great he’s going to do this internally,” Ward 6 Councillor Peter Pietrantonio reacted.

In other action related to the Fire Department, the Council approved a transfer of $115,000 from the Budgetary Fund Balance or Free Cash to the Fire Department’s Maintenance and Operating Funds, which had been sent to the Ways and Means Subcommittee for study on February 12. “We reviewed this in Ways and Means,” Councillor-at-Large Stephanie Smith reported before recommending approval. $65,000 is for the Operating Budget and $50,000 for maintaining equipment.

The members also reacted favorably to an idea from Councillor-at-Large Katy Rogers for senior citizens or citizens with disabilities to be able to call the City’s 311 constituent services line to ask for free house numbers for their residences. “The Fire Department has grant money specifically allocated for helping seniors,” she said. “Many properties in Everett are missing address numbers. This poses a safety hazard, as it makes it difficult for safety officials to identify houses quickly. Massachusetts requires all residences to be identified by number. In lieu of using resources on enforcement, it would be preferable to collaborate with the existing departments in the city to help ensure some of our most vulnerable residents have access to house numbers, which is why senior residents should be able to call 311 to request getting address numbers on their home.

“I’ve had discussions with Will Hurley of the Fire Department, who shared that they have the opportunity to allocate a small amount of money for providing seniors with house address numbers. I spoke with Chad Luongo of the Constituent Services Department, who agreed to set up a portal via 311 to notify the Fire Department of requests.”

The matter was referred to the administration to facilitate the connection.

The Councillors also approved petitions from National Grid to install an underground conduit from an existing utility pole under the sidewalk to private property at 14 Baldwin Ave. and another underground conduit from an existing pole to private property at 33 Mystic St. for a parking garage for Encore Boston Harbor, despite ongoing concerns about National Grid’s role or lack thereof in providing access to the waterfront along the Malden River and helping residents of Glendale Towers, 381 Ferry St., get air conditioning. Rogers has pursued the waterfront access issue, while Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Matewsky has often spoken about the situation at Glendale Towers.

“I don’t want to hinder any development of private property, but the people of Glendale Towers have been waiting for their electrical systems to be upgraded,” Matewsky said about the request involving Mystic Street. “National Grid used to be an asset for us, but they’re disrespectful to the Council. I’ll vote for this, but we expect some relief.”

A representative from National Grid said he was unaware of the situation at Glendale Towers.

Martins, Pietrantonio and Rogers voted against the request. “Some Councillors are voting ‘no’ on National Grid issues in solidarity with the river path,” Rogers later said.

Another petition from National Grid to install a conduit from an existing pole to a customer-owned manhole at 380 Second St. was voted down.

Councillor-at-Large Guerline Alcy Jabouin cast the lone dissenting vote against appointing former School Committee Member Millie Cardello to a three-year term on the Board of Assessors to fill a position vacated by William Hart when he became Everett Superintendent of Schools. Appointments or reappointments of Rebecca Edmondson and Derek Shooster to the Zoning Board of Appeals, James Booker to the Disability Commission and DeAnne Mullett to the Board of Health were also approved.