Mayor Carlo DeMaria is shown above delivering his inaugural address Tuesday evening.
Mayor Carlo DeMaria asked everyone in city government to work together to leave a proper legacy and to achieve a collective goal in remarks delivered at the inauguration of city leaders held Tuesday night.
Speaking before a large crowd of family, friends, political supporters and business associates inside the Frederick Foresteire Center for the Performing Arts at Everett High School, the mayor detailed his accomplishments.
He also showed a great understanding of the issues facing the city and he made suggestions about how to overcome the issues.
He detailed his skill with the city budget.
“Our 2012 operating costs were only $150,000 more than our operating costs in 2008. We’re maintaining this budget amount, through attrition, without layoffs and through creative ways of maintaining services for our residents, despite increasing costs,” said the mayor.
The mayor said he was proud that the city is financially sound.
“Last year, due to mid-year budget cuts to all city departments and with strict restrictions on department spending, the State Department of Revenue certified free cash at $3.5 Million Dollars and we still have healthy $9 Million dollar stabilization fund,” he added.
He said almost $17 million in savings would be accrued over the next decade if changes in employee health care programs are made – and that he is working to have them changed.
He said his administration’s public safety effort to keep Everett’s streets safe included receiving a recent grant which will allow him to hire more police officers.
He thanked the city’s corporate partners and singled out Distrigas for its generosity in providing badly needed scholarships and summer jobs.
He said the city has applied for funding to renovate Glendale Park with an eye toward reinvigorating Glendale Square.
He noted that Everett is a perfect place for a major hotel development because Revere is likely to be the home of a resort casino at Suffolk Downs.
It was upbeat message overall covering all the bases.
“The choice is ours ladies and gentlemen, lets challenge ourselves to do one thing better every single day, give just one percent more every day and together we will make history,” the mayor said, concluding his remarks.
City Clerk Michael Mattarazzo opened the festivities with a welcome message.
Then the Aldermen, and city councillors followed by the mayor walked in a procession into the arts center and took their places on stage.
The mayor and his family were escorted by Assistant City Clerk Ellen Carr.
The invocation was delivered brilliantly by Bishop Robert G. Brown of the Zion Church Ministry.
That was followed by City Clerk Mattarazzo swearing in the mayor, the aldermen, the common councilors and the school committee.
The Everett High School Orchestra under the direction of its able leader Macej Kaszmarek performed the National Anthem which was followed by the mayor’s address.
The program concluded with a benediction by the Reverend Dominic Rodighiero. The three bodies then met separately to organize for the year.
All of this was followed by a reception in the high school cafeteria where all the food was prepared by the students in the High School Culinary Arts Program.