By Josh Resnek
First, the mayor appointed young Matt Lattanzi as the assistant city solicitor.
Then, he made Lattanzi the chief administrator at the Parlin Library, after the city council went along with his directive to restructure the library system.
Now, in quick succession, the mayor has appointed Lattanzi as a member of his executive senior staff, according to a release issued by the mayor’s office last week.
What exact role he will play as a senior executive staff member remains to be seen but he is a step again closer to the mayor.
Lattanzi receives $81,000 a year for wearing all those hats.
Lattanzi’s rise with the mayor comes at a time when the mayor is mulling making some changes with his senior staff.
The second in command of the mayor’s press office, Andrew Napolitano, left his job recently.
He is now working for the State Treasurer Deb Goldberg at the State House.
This leaves senior press aid Tom Philbin the mayor’s only official long term voice in the active press office.
Lattanzi taking a senior position next to the mayor caused a wide variety of speculation among city hall types.
“Maybe he wanted a lawyer next to him to make sure he doesn’t make any mistakes,” said one person with knowledge of the Lattanzi appointment who wished to remain unnamed.
“With his father (Al Lattanzi) showing loyalty to the mayor by running against Mike McLaughlin in the Ward 6 council race, the mayor felt he had to act,” he added.
Some claim the mayor is grooming Lattanzi to one day be the mayor of Everett.
“The mayor isn’t going to be mayor forever,” said a city hall observer with ties to the mayor.
“If the mayor were to announce he is not seeking re-election, Lattanzi would be a perfect choice,” he said.
Still others claim Lattanzi could be eyeing his entrance into politics and might take on the rep, who showed weakness in the last election cycle.
Lattanzi is remaining mum regarding the hoopla around becoming a member of the mayor’s inner staff.
At 30 years old, a so-called Triple Eagle (BC High, BC, and BC Law School) he is a young Everett man on the rise, and where exactly that rise goes is anyone’s guess.