One year ago, the Council Chambers were packed to an overflow level to welcome in the new City Council and hear Mayor Carlo DeMaria give his annual State of the City Address.
It seems like a time and place from another world – a world without masks, distancing requirements or fear of sickness, job loss and hunger.
Mayor Carlo DeMaria delivered his annual State of the City Address virtually on Thursday, Feb. 4. The speech was heavy on looking back at 2020, and also moving forward with initiatives for 2021 when, hopefully, the pandemic has subsided a bit.
It was, though, just one short year ago, and on Thursday, Feb. 4, Mayor DeMaria hearkened back to those fine days as he delivered an online State of the City that detailed what was done to help COVID-19 in 2020 and looking forward to what 2021 could bring.
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.
If former MassDOT Director Stephanie Pollack needed a guinea pig for exciting transportation experiments, Everett was willing to be the test subject, and Mayor Carlo DeMaria and Pollack forged a partnership over the last six years that brought about such exciting pilot programs that have now spread across the region.
Former MassDOT Director Stephanie Pollack with Mayor Carlo DeMaria last October in Everett Square at the kick-off of Re-Imagining Broadway.
Pollack, who focused in on Everett early six years ago due to the City’s willingness to lead and pay for initiatives, announced last week that she was leaving MassDOT to become Deputy Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration under new President Joe Biden. Leaving a state Republican Administration for a federal Democratic Administration, Pollack left her job in Massachusetts on Tuesday, but was not forgotten in Everett.
The Home Rule petition to make the mayor a voting member of the School Committee was signed on Weds. by Gov. Charlie Baker, and Mayor Carlo DeMaria said he looked forward to cohesively working with the Committee going forward.
The signed Charter amendment makes Mayor DeMaria the 10th voting member on the Committee, though he was a non-voting member for many years under the reformed Charter.
“Governor Baker signed the Home Rule Petition which amends the City of Everett’s Charter and allows the Mayor of Everett to become a voting member of the Everett School Committee,” he said on Wednesday. “I am honored to accept this responsibility. The Everett City Council voted to send the Home Rule petition to the State House. Everett’s local delegation, Senator Sal DiDomenico and State Representative Joseph McGonagle shepherded the bill through the legislature.
Mayor DeMaria Announces Sunday ‘Coffee With the Mayor’ Video Series
The City of Everett launched a new video series hosted by Mayor Carlo DeMaria and distributed on the City’s social media channels and on ECTV called “Sunday Coffee with the Mayor,” which began last Sunday, January 17.
In the series, Mayor DeMaria will update residents on COVID-19 response and vaccination rollouts, and other plans to address the critical needs of the City.
“This series is an opportunity for our residents to hear directly from me regarding both the challenges and progress of our great city,” said Mayor DeMaria. “We all look forward to a time when we can chat over coffee in person safely again, but for now, this is the most responsible way for me to share the City’s news with everyone.”