A year consists of 52 weeks and 365 days and in Everett, some of the biggest stories were happening right through the final month of December.
In fact, on December 20 during the penultimate week of 2023, the Everett School Committee appointed William D. Hart as the new superintendent of schools (see related story)
Hart had been serving as the interim superintendent since Nov. 2. He will officially be in charge of the entire school district when Everett students return from their holiday break on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
Some of the other stories of 2023 were:
New Soccer Stadium on Hold for Now
Everett residents watched a major story unfold late in the year as plans for a new professional soccer stadium on the site of a former power plant came to the forefront. The Kraft Group is reportedly considering building a new stadium and waterfront park and relocating the New England Revolution soccer franchise to Everett.
Sen. Sal DiDomenico appeared at a City Council meeting to update councilors on the status of the project, explaining that leaders in the House of Representatives at the State House, citing environmental concerns, did not place the language necessary in their final version of the bill.
DiDomenico vowed to continue to work on advancing the project, stating it would dramatically enhance the waterfront.
DiDomenico, the Senate’s assistant majority leader, had an amazingly productive year overall as Everett’s senator, as state officials approved DiDomenico’s universal free breakfast and lunch program for all students in grades K-12, regardless of income.
DiDomenico’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner drew another capacity crowd to the Knights of Columbus in Charlestown. His annual toy drive culminating with an event at the Kowloon Restaurant was a tremendous success.
Christie Getto Young, Chief of Staff in Sen. DiDomenico’s office, received the Legislative Staffer of the Year Award from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.
State Rep. Joe McGonagle also had an exceptional year representing the city, securing hundreds of thousands of dollars for programs and organizations in Everett.
Rep. Judith Garcia of Chelsea took office in January, representing a few neighborhoods in Everett, while Rep. Dan Ryan of Charlestown also has a portion of Everett in his new legislative district.
Mayor DeMaria Leads a Bustling City Forward
Mayor Carlo DeMaria was the city’s No. 1 newsmaker in Everett, as one would expect from being the elected leader of a city with more than 50,000 residents.
DeMaria continued to put his imprint on all aspects of city – the beautiful parks system, the new streets and sidewalks (including the city’s first roundabout), and the schools, where the mayor is working hard to address issues of over-crowdedness.
DeMaria and city officials received great news with the Massachusetts School Building Authority advancing Everett to the next step in the process of building a new Everett High School.
Events such as the Easter Spring Fling at the Everett Parks and Recreation Center, the Summer Barbecue, the Fourth of July Celebration, and Summer Movie Nights brought joy to residents city wide.
Everett’s seniors and veterans had high marks for DeMaria’s leadership. The Edward G. Connolly Center, led by Council on Aging Executive Director Dale Palma, enjoyed a very busy year of activities. Their celebrations of holidays – such as this weekend’s New Year’s Day party – are considered must-attend events. Palma and his staff make everyone feel welcomed at the Connolly Center.
DeMaria’s speaking appearance and remarks at the city’s Veteran’s Day Luncheon were well-received, with the mayor affirming his gratitude for all of Everett veterans’ service to the country. Director of Veterans Affairs Antoine Coleman, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, a former EHS star athlete and graduate of WPI with a degree in civil engineering, has teamed with Mayor DeMaria in ensuring that Everett’s veterans are granted the resources they need.
The Everett High School Band, under the masterful direction of Gene O’Brien, participated in the Veterans’ Day ceremony, drawing praise from Mayor DeMaria, Sen. DiDomenico, Rep. Monagle, and Director of Veterans Affairs Coleman for their musical performance and all the awards they have earned in competitions.
Election Brought Interesting Results, New Faces to Office
Everett’s municipal election was an interesting one, with newcomers being elected and former officials returning to office.
In the City Council at-large race, Michael Marchese topped the ticket, while fellow incumbents Stephanie Smith (second) and John Hanlon (fifth) were also re-elected.
Well-known community leader Guerline Alcy returns to city government as a councilor-at-large. Katy Rogers, an award-winning, professional photographer, also showed popularity and support across the city while getting elected to one of the five councilor-at-large seats.
Ward 1 Councilor Wayne Matewsky and Ward 2 Councilor Stephanie Martins were re-elected to the Council.
Former Councilor Anthony DiPierro will be returning to the Ward 3 seat on the Council. Holly Garcia (Ward 4), Robert Van Campen (Ward 5), and Peter Pietrantonio (Ward 6) were also elected.
A former elected official, Van Campen appears to have the votes to become the president of the City Council when the new board convenes for its first meeting on Monday, Jan. 8.
In the School Committee election, Samanta Lambert and Joseph LaMonica were re-elected to at-large positions. Samantha Hurley was also elected to an at-large position, finishing a strong second overall in the field of six candidates.
Margaret Cornelio was elected to the Ward 1 seat on the School Committee. The other newcomers elected were Joanna Garren (Ward 2), Robin Babcock (Ward 4), and Joseph D’Onofrio (Ward 6).
Popular incumbents Jeanne Cristiano (Ward 3) and Marcony Almeida Barros (Ward 5) were re-elected without opposition in their races.
A Successful Year for Encore Boston Harbor
Encore Boston Harbor had a very successful year, drawing visitors from around the globe to the five-star resort/casino and its spectacular restaurants.
Legalized sports betting began in January in Massachusetts, with Encore holding an exciting event to celebrate the newest addition to the gaming experience.
Everett’s city treasury receives from Encore more than $25 million annually through its host agreement. Encore Boston Harbor has also been a very generous contributor to local organizations.
The ability to attract a major resort/casino to a long vacant property in Everett and have a $3 billion project built on that land is one of the true success stories of the Mayor Carlo DeMaria Administration.