Councillor requests information on Gov.’s state of emergency on migrants

By Barbara Taormina

Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro asked this week that the acting mayor, the school superintendent and members of Revere’s state delegation provide information to the community about the state of emergency declared by Gov. Maura Healey concerning the influx of migrants into Massachusetts. Cogliandro wants to learn what impact the migration will have on the city, its available shelter facilities and local schools. Cogliandro is also seeking information about any available state funding to help the city offset the effects of the migration.

“It’s been said that there’s more here than we anticipated already,” said Cogliandro, who added, “If we’re going to be providing help, we should have a plan.”

Cogliandro said if incoming migrants needed a place to stay, that the empty Amazon facility should be considered as a shelter since there is plenty of room available there.

City Council President Pro Tempore Joanne McKenna said she received a call from the emergency director last week that a number of people were brought and just left in Revere and neighboring communities. “The state dropped the ball, the federal government dropped the ball, they didn’t communicate with us that those people were here,” said McKenna.

“These people had nothing,” continued McKenna, who explained that a program was started to provide diapers and other personal hygiene supplies to the migrants.

But Mckenna seemed most concerned about the tone of conversation taking place on social media about the influx. “We are people, we are all human beings. We’re all the same,” said McKenna, adding that she was troubled by the hatred spewing on Facebook about the migrants.

“I just don’t understand it,” she said. “Revere has always been there for everybody. We have to love one another. Let’s step up, Revere and help these people.”