Lt. Governor Polito Signs Community Compact Agreement with the City of Everett Independent Staff Report
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Mayor Carlo DeMaria signed a Community Compact on Thursday morning, Feb. 4, with the administration sharing an interest in Everett’s growth. Community Compacts are part of the Baker Administration’s local initiatives with communities and help with grant funding and other City priorities.
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito signed a Community Compact agreement with officials from the City of Everett on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
“We are excited to announce new partnerships between the Commonwealth and the City of Everett,” said Polito. “We look forward to working with city officials to realize their goals in the areas of city planning and safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists.”
Mayor Carlo DeMaria said the Compact will formalize best management practices and combining resources.
“In signing this compact, we formalize our mutual goal of instituting best management practices and combining our resources to make government more efficient and effective,” said DeMaria, “The City of Everett cannot do it alone and I want to thank the Baker- Polito administration for providing us with the technical assistance, the funding and the additional resources to focus on three important policy initiatives, Regional Climate Change, Open Space and Recreation, and Complete Streets. All these initiatives are critically important, not only to our businesses and residents, but to the Greater Boston region.”
Community Compacts are one tool the Baker Administration is utilizing to strengthen the partnership between cities and towns and the Commonwealth. By entering a Community Compact, a community agrees to implement self-selected best practices. As part of this partnership, the Commonwealth agrees to fulfill a set of commitments and works to provide assistance for a community based on their chosen best practice.
Through its Compact, the City of Everett has chosen to work with the Commonwealth toward implementing the following best practices:
- Energy and Environment – Sustainable Development/Land Protection:
Everett seeks to complete an Open Space and Recreation Plan in order to establish long-terms plans for the strong growth and development taking place in the city. The City has been encouraged to apply for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) grant program for technical assistance in drafting these plans.
- Energy and Environment – Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation:
The City will work with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) to promote carpooling and alternative modes of transportation for residents in an effort to lessen the number of vehicles on the roads day to day.
- Transportation/Citizen Safety – Complete Streets:
State funding will be made available to Everett through the Complete Streets Grant Program with the intent of improving pedestrian, bicycle and transit amenities. The city plans to develop construction standards for curb ramps, intersections, crosswalks and traffic signals into its Roadway Rehabilitation Program. Bicycle infrastructure will also be improved through construction of bike lanes, bicycle parking, signage and traffic signal improvements.
The Community Compact is a voluntary, mutual agreement entered into between the Baker-Polito Administration and individual cities and towns of the Commonwealth. In a Community Compact, a community will agree to implement a best practice they select from across a variety of areas. The Compact also articulates the commitments the Commonwealth will make on behalf of all communities, including helping the community attain their chosen best practice. For more information or to apply for a Community Compact go to www.mass.gov/ccc.