Following comments at a Feb. 3 Council Subcommittee meeting by Mayor Carlo DeMaria directed to Councilor Gerly Adrien about her “laughing” on camera being a distraction, Adrien has taken to the airwaves in Boston and to the print media in Boston to condemn the comments, while Mayor DeMaria is ready to go on GBH Radio this week to defend his comments.
Adrien published an op-ed in the Boston Globe on Feb. 8 regarding why, as a Black woman, she thought the mayor’s comments were inappropriate, and then appeared Feb. 9 on the Greater Boston TV show with Jim Braude on GBH. Since then she has appeared on other media outlets, and the mayor now is going to appear on the Margery Eagan and Jim Braude GBH Radio show this Wednesday, Feb. 17.
The City Council voted to enroll a Linkage Fee ordinance for residential and commercial properties after many years of discussion – and some rather intense negotiations over the last two weeks.
The Council voted 10-1 Monday night to enroll the Linkage Fee ordinance, with Councilor Gerly Adrien voting against. Linkage Fees are a surcharge on, in this case, commercial and residential development, and for Everett, the money collected would only be able to go to funding affordable housing projects.
The matter came before the Council after having hit the agenda two weeks ago, and many legislators seeing changes for the first time made by Mayor Carlo DeMaria. That put a road block in the discussion, with the mayor advocating for quick action. After a Committee meeting last week that went into detail, the matter was brought forward on Monday night again.
What happened Monday at the City Council meeting?
We know about half of the story.
Woe unto thee for 2021 when it comes to the Everett City Council trying to have a successful meeting, as technical issues bombarded the board once again and they plowed on without the public being fully able to observe the meeting.
Technical issues have been a hallmark of the Everett Council like no other board or Council anywhere else since COVID-19 started, and though it seemed they had gotten to the other side of the troubles, Monday night’s meeting suddenly fizzled out again as it had previously many times last summer and fall.
Council President Wayne Matewsky doled out Committee assignments last week, with most everyone finding a place on a Committee.
Matewsky has said under his leadership this year there will be fewer Committees of the Whole and more Committee meetings. He said he would rely on the Committee system to work out the details of issues, and that would hopefully shorten Council meetings and bring about better legislation in a more timely manner.
He announced five committees for the coming legislative year, with a revived Celebrations Committee still under consideration.
The Budget Committee will be chaired by Councilor Michael McLaughlin and co-chaired by Councilor Anthony DiPierro. All councilors will be members of this committee.