By Seth Daniel
City Hall staffers, friends and elected officials gathered last Thursday, June 29, in the Keverian Room to wish City Clerk Michael Matarazzo a happy retirement.
Matarazzo has been the popular City Clerk for more than a decade, and spent time as an assistant city clerk under John Hanlon before that. He also served in elected office in Everett and worked in several positions in state government before come to the Clerk’s office.
Matarazzo was humbled, he said, by the turnout at the luncheon and the respect given to him for his years of personal and professional advice and historical research on Everett.
“As long as you care about the City and each other, you’ll do a great job,” he said. “You don’t have to be perfect; just do the best you can. In Everett, you’re so connected to each other, you can’t help it. Chief Mazzie was my first basemen when I coached Little League. Lt. Hoenig is a godfather to one of my children…There are always connections and you’re connected through people…It’s great to be respected, but it’s so humbling. I’ve done my best to earn your respect, but when you get it back, it’s amazing. There are people here today that are so special to me that I will never forget them the rest of my life. You don’t get that at a lot of places you work.”
Mayor Carlo DeMaria attended the luncheon and presented Matarazzo with a Key to the City. He recalled getting advice from Matarazzo when he was a City official, and learning about the rich history of Everett afterwards over dinner.
“He knew everything about the City and how people felt in the neighborhoods and what they wanted to see in government,” said Demaria. “You had someone to rely on with Michael Matarazzo there.”
State Rep. Joe McGonagle said he and Matarazzo grew to be close friends over the years.
“I was always fortunate to be able to rely on Mike’s advice, which was always spot on,” he said. “Even after becoming State Representative, I was still in constant contact with Mike. I can’t say enough about Michael Matarazzo as a friend and an advisor. Anyone who has served in City government would say the same.”