~ Malden Musings ~ Mayor Christenson and the State of the City 2025

By Peter Levine

As I was saying…. The SRO State of the City address – all agree – was one of the most entertaining and one of the cleverer presentations in recent memory. The event was an electric mix of energy, interaction and insight! From Mayor Gary Christenson himself to a who’s who of Malden’s elected officials and municipal leaders, everyone in the room wasn’t just an attendee – they were an active participant in the excitement. The atmosphere was buzzing, the engagement was real and the spirit of Malden was on full display!

2024 was a year of triumphs, and the road ahead? Even brighter. (Can we possibly outdo ourselves? Challenge accepted, I say!)

By a stroke of luck – or maybe just sheer determination (truth be told, my brother Joe asked me to sit nice at his table) – I managed to snag a golden ticket to this sold-out extravaganza. And let me tell you, folks, I didn’t just get a seat – I landed the seat, right in the heart of Malden’s elite inner circle.

So, buckle up for a highly subjective (but undeniably enthusiastic) take on this historic event, delivered straight from your ever-faithful MM correspondent. Rest assured, dear reader, that everything you’re about to witness is brought to you with a steadfast commitment to truth, justice, the American way (and a dash of fun here and there) – but most importantly, a future for Malden that’s bursting with promise. Let’s dive in!

• As I stepped into Albert’s joint (or, as some locals lovingly call it, Anthony’s by the Canal), the rich aroma of imported coffee and the sweet scent of Albert’s legendary homemade pastries wrapped around me like a warm embrace. At a corner table, deep in conversation, were Recreation Director Joseph E. Levine and OSPCD Director Alex Pratt. “Ah, the power brokers of pastry and espresso,” I quipped, making my way toward them. They looked up, grinning, mid-sip. I wasted no time. “I just secured myself a prime seat from the mayor – on the condition that I mention him positively in at least my next three columns.” Alex barely let me finish before firing back, eyes twinkling over his coffee cup, “Isn’t that a reduction in the number of articles you mention the honorable mayor?” Boom. Roasted. Even the espresso felt weaker in comparison.
• One table stood out. Sitting together was a Maldonia all-star lineup for the ages. That table shimmered with more star power than a century of Hollywood’s brightest Oscar nights combined – each guest a living legend in their own right! This rogues gallery included Public Facilities Director Eric “MVP” Rubin, City Controller Chuck “Hershey’s Parent” Ranaghan, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance at Malden Public Schools Antonietta (‘Toni’) Mertz (side note: don’t she have a smile that lights up a room – said with all due respect, of course!), Inspectional Services Director Nelson Miller, City of Malden Assessor Nate Cramer, Teen Enrichment Center Big Cheese Cathy McMullin, Recreation Director Joey Levine, Treasurer/Mixologist Extraordinaire Danny Grover and in my humble opinion maybe the hardest working man in show biz and my personal MVP (underground rumblings confided in me that he was MVP runner-up coming in a close second – true rumblings!), DPW Director Bobby Knox. All that table needed was Jeri Scibelli from Human Resources to make it the complete roster of MVP Maldonia.
• As I mentioned last week, there was a breakout star on this day: Mark Linehan! I was like bafangool! Simply gob smacked I was! Mark worked that room like a pro with casual ease and a sense of humor that would have made Don Rickles proud! Darting around the room from table to table like a seasoned veteran with style, wit and grace, Mark’s familiarity with all the players in the hall made him an exceptional choice to emcee this gig. His wife, Ward 3 Councillor Amanda (and one of my fave Councillors, btw), looked on proudly. Priceless!
• And no, this over-the-top praise isn’t just because he complimented this column. Well, truth be told…it kinda is. I kid, Mark!
• Who made an impression on me at the State of the City… Malden’s newest Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Timothy Sippel, whom I chatted up at last year’s San Rock Festa, gets an A+ for his role and for remembering my name last time we met.
• Please take note; goes a long way remembering my name and complimenting this column. I jest, of course.
• Chris (Rosa) cleans up real nice, as we say in Maldonia, and along with all the good stuff he has been up to shared with us his love for the Native Hackberry Tree as his fave tree. True story.
• Deb Burke. How can we miss you, Deb, if you won’t go away (again, I kid, of course). Debbie came out of retirement to once again bedazzle the assembled crowd and give us an informed, thoughtful and wicked cool take on the state of the city through her wise and (former) OSPCD eyes. Look for a blockbuster interview with her in next week’s column, and as Chris Farley used to say, “that’s awesome!
• I wish we had more citizens like Cathy LeBlanc. Cathy is a Malden lifer who really, really cares about 02148. Cathy holds no elected office nor is she in the employ of Malden but finds time in her busy life to stay involved and engaged. She holds elected officials accountable but always with respect and the welfare of Malden in mind. Thanks, Cathy, for caring, and I hope you are well.
• Speaking of Elaina Savino, I have to say, Ron Cochran left some big shoes to fill when he left Elaina in charge for her first solo State of the City presentation. Yet somehow all 5 foot 2 of Elaina, with her size 3 feet, filled those shoes and then some by tossing out the old script and coming up with a fresh, original and fun format. Jeri (Scibelli) and Marilena could be heard laughing all the way from Emerald Street.
• MTEC Director (straight outta Newland Street) Cathy McMullin told us a funny “same universe, different world”–type story as we sat savoring Albert’s exquisite java and breakfast. Seems she and (Malden’s actual MVP) Chief of Staff Maria Luise were classmates at MHS back in (mumble, mumble) but their paths rarely crossed because Cathy was a “jock” and Maria was part of the “smarty pants” clique. Laughs all around the table.
• Public Facilities Director Eric Rubin has officially been crowned the unofficial MVP of 2024 (ya, I know that don’t make much sense but please just play along) – because let’s be frank here, his impact (and that great smile of his) speaks for itself! Thanks to his brilliant energy-efficient initiatives, Malden’s energy costs have dropped a whopping 30%, saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Talk about a game-changer! But here’s the thing: Eric isn’t just a mastermind of sustainability; he’s also a real-life hero. Did I ever tell you fine Maldonians about the time I saw Eric spring into action to save a man’s life as the man lay passed out at the wheel of his car? True story. One for another day, but trust me, it’s a swell story and plenty cool. For now, let’s just give a well-earned shoutout to Eric Rubin – Malden’s energy guru, everyday hero and reigning MVP!
• We learned through a cool video presentation from MPD Officer Sal Gennetti that Pearl Street Park aka Little Pearl will get a redo and rededication in the name of his pops, the late great 60-year public servant Police Commissioner Salvatore “Butch” Gennetti. Butch loved his Malden, especially the neighborhood he grew up in, Edgeworth. A fitting tribute to a man we all loved so very much.
• Suffering succotash! I just love seeing Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin and Malden Fire Chief Steve Froio at these events. Their presence is always a welcome addition, adding much dignity and respect for tradition to all gatherings.
• City Clerk Carol Ann Desiderio always impresses, doesn’t she? Such a worthy successor to the likes of Greg Lucey in the Clerk’s Office. Her professionalism and dedication to Malden is legendary, and I have a slight suspicion that along the way she studied long and hard at the feet of the late, great Karen Anderson to get to that place. I know an A+ is in the future if Carol Ann says it will be!
• My esteemed colleague at The Advocate Steve Freker summed it up very nicely last week: “The only grade that could be given to the latest iteration of Malden Mayor Gary Christenson’s State of the City presentation – delivered this week on Tuesday morning at Anthony’s on Canal Street – is exactly that, an A+.”
• Little known Eric Rubin scuttlebutt…Mr. MVP was an outstanding wrestler at MHS following in the very large wrestling slippers of the many that preceded him (hello, CJ Lopresti, Dan Ford, the O’Boyle clan, Tommy Monahan, Freddy Ribeiro, Dave Russo, Dom Sardo, Mike Scibelli and Dave O’Brien, to name but a few), and from what I gather from them that know, to this day keeps his still form-fitting wrestling tights (he wrestled at 105) neatly hung in his garage. Tittle-tattle around 02148 has it that from time to time he wears said still form fitting tights around the house as he goes about his daily business (much to the chagrin of his kids and lovely wife Nicole). LOL.

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – the Malden State of the City Address at Anthony’s on Canal Street – aka The Function Hall That Albert Built (with a massive assist from Mary Brown Spadafora and a cast of hundreds) was an absolute showstopper! Mayor Gary Christenson owned the stage as always (and whoever oversees his moss is doing a bang-up job; who agrees with me?), with the dynamic duo of Maria Luise and Kathleen Manning Hall keeping things sharp and seamless. But (again) the breakout star of the morning? Mark Linehan! For crying out loud he’s a star – this guy’s got talent with fame and fortune in his very near future. All jokes aside, Mark – bravo! Amanda, he’s a keeper. Insert smiley face.

And can we talk about the “Jeopardy!” theme? Genius! A perfect blend of fun, creativity and civic pride.

Bravo to everyone involved actually – you absolutely nailed it!

Postscript 1: Not so fast, “The Last Word” from hizzoner Mayor Gary Christenson (you were hoping for Lawrence O’Donnell?!): “I thought it was fun, informative, and a reminder that despite all our challenges we have had and continue to have a lot of positive things are happening throughout our city. This is a result of our hardworking and dedicated team here in the city. They continue to impress me day in, day out and I couldn’t be more grateful to them. If the past year is any indicator, I believe good things will happen once more in 2025 despite the uncertainties we are faced with.”

Postscript 2: In his final “Jeopardy!” answer, Mayor Christenson took a moment to express his heartfelt gratitude to his core team – Chief of Staff Maria Luise, top aide Kathleen Manning Hall, Chief Strategic Planner/Parking Department Director/Theo’s parent Ron “Man of Many Hats” Hogan and Communications Director Elaina (2025 MVP?) Savino – along with the entire staff for their unwavering dedication throughout the year. He acknowledged their collective efforts in tackling the city’s challenges and emphasized the hurdles Malden faces in 2025, reinforcing his commitment to navigating them together. My note: and I hope for another term or two! Go Gary!!

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to The Malden Advocate. He can be reached at Pe*****@ao*.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.