The Election has come and gone
Shown below are School Committee incumbents Cynthia Sarnie and Millie Cardello about an hour before final results came in showing that they had lost their seats.
They basically knew they were going to lose their seats, and admitted as much, but without an ounce of animus or bad feeling.
They are Everett political players and professionals.
They know what comes with the territory.
They would have preferred to win but took their losses graciously like the ladies they are.
Losing is tough to deal with. Winning is a much better position to be in.
They have until January to do their thing.
Having fun
When you get to know Councilor at Large Stephanie Smith, you come to understand just how much she loves what she is do- ing as a member of the city council.
It is obvious to nearly all those who meet her at places like city hall on Election Day eve, where she is busily tallying figures from around the city, talking on her cell phone and placing figures in spread sheets on her laptop computer, that she is having fun.
Turns out not only was she winning, again, but having fun winning and being surrounded by friends of a lifetime on the first floor at city hall including her parents and nearly every- one else who collected there on Election night.
She is a smart, assertive, fun person to be around – and her positive attitude is infectious.
She enjoys being from Everett and being a part of Everett, and she shows it.
She has a great deal of confidence in herself, and this too, is infectious.
Waiting for the outcome
In a way, if you are invested in the election, it is a bit like waiting for a baby to be born before the results are announced. Mrs. DiDomenico, who attended the first floor traditional Election night get together with her two sons, wondered aloud what she was doing there.
Husband, Senator Sal, likes attending these Election night traditions. He, too, was there, still appearing a bit down over the recent passing of his mother – but he still managed to make the rounds.
Samantha Hurley’s husband, William, represented his wife. He said she was very nervous about the results and chose to send him and to stay at home.
Holly Garcia, who defeated Jimmy Tri Le, was very excited, she said. Her coming victory hadn’t yet sunk in on the newcomer to Everett politics.
Winning awards
Cathy Draine, Everett’s chief equity officer and director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has been recognized in COLOR Magazine as one of the Top 50 Chief Equity Officers.
She has been listed among other honorees across the nation representing individuals in government service, higher education and the private sector.
Draine’s efforts at Everett City Hall began when the city was appearing to spiral into a place where racism and, exclusivity and discrimination seemed to be a way of life.
In a simple metaphor, Draine came into Everett city hall when the place was on fire.
Since that time, Everett city hall has changed and Draine is mostly a credit to those changes.
Uncovering bias in the workplace is her specialty and by all accounts, she’s done a good job of remaking Everett’s employee base at city hall.
Many, many Blacks and Browns are working inside city hall today.
We just wish her office would send us her press releases so we can highlight her great work.
Gateway Center Sold
This is bigtime business news in Everett.
At a time when many shopping centers across the nation are failing – a situation exacerbated by the pandemic when so many millions stopped shopping and changed shopping habits – Everett’s Gateway Mall has been sold.
Urban Edge Properties has purchased the Gateway Center and Shoppers World in Framingham for $309 million – a pittance compared to what these places used to be worth.
Most interesting to speculate about is what exactly the new owners are hoping to do with the mall beyond what is already there.
For a few years, the mall owners had hoped Encore would buy the space for added parking and or development but that never materialized.
Just that kind of speculation and the rent roll from a number of major box stores on the property make this a good buy.