On Monday June 24th, Mayor Carlo DeMaria along with Chief David Butler swore in eight new
Firefighters to the Everett Fire Department. The new additions are Jay Fiore, Erick Robles, Christopher
Jewell, Philip Antonelli, David Grace, Steve Lanceleve, Sabato LoRusso, and John Russo.
The hiring of the eight new firefighters was made possible through the SAFER Grant Program that
the Everett Fire Department was awarded.
The SAFER Grant was created by Congress to help address staffing and training needs for local fire
departments. It provides funding to help pay the costs associated with hiring personnel to maintain
safe staffing levels for a period of two years.
The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Monday night to appoint eight new firefighters to the Everett Fire Department, as the result of a Safer Grant that was awarded to the city.
Fire Chief David Butler, in presenting the new firefighters to the city, told the Board of Aldermen that the new recruits will be a big help to the fire department.
“This is a big night for the Everett Fire Department, a big night for the city of Everett,” said Chief Butler. “we like every department took a big hit a few years back, when the economy went bad. . .the Mayor made a commitment to me at that time that he would work with me to get our numbers back up and that he would go after this Safer Grant and tonight we are taking a step toward getting our numbers back up.”
Butler added that the eight new recruits, “will go a very long way to help us in our suppression efforts.”
The eight new recruits appointed Monday night include Jay Fiore, Erick Robles, Christopher Jewell, Phillip Antonelli, David Grace, Steve Lanceleve, Sabato LoRusso and John Russo.
$500,000 permit fees for Charlestown Lofts cited
In approving a transfer of $10,000 within the ISD department to pay for contractual obligations to a software vendor, the Board of Aldermen learned that the need for the transfer was actually created when the ISD took in $500,000 in permit fee revenues for the city in approving permits for the next phases of the Charlestown Lofts project.
According to Soper and City Budget Director Richard Viscay, the departmental transfer allows ISD to work within its appropriated budget to meet its contractual obligations to Des Lauriers Municipal.
Aldermen approve transfers to offset tax rate
After a bit of discussion and debate about the merits of utilizing Free Cash to offset the tax rate, the Board of Aldermen voted 6-1 on two transfers that have the effect of reducing the city’s reliance on property tax revenue in the FY 2014 budget.
Aldermen Michael Marchese was the lone vote against a $1,000,000 Free Cash transfer and a $650,000 transfer from Parking Meter Revenues to offset tax rates, calling the proposals put forth by the administration, “election year politics.”