A debate between Mayor Carlo DeMaria, and his opponents Gerly Adrien and Fred Capone is being proposed to the candidates for the third week in August on a night to be determined by the candidates, and a place, with all their approval.
Letters of invitation will be sent by mail and e-mail to all three candidates with de- tailed stipulations about how the debate will be managed and directed.
The Leader Herald will pay all costs for the event, which would likely be televised by ECTV and carried live on all three candidates’ Facebook pages as well as the Leader Herald’s Facebook site.
The debate is intended to be open to the public and held in a public auditorium, most likely the main auditorium at the Everett High School.
The format will not allow for the moderator of the debate to do anything more than to ask each of the candidates questions already presented to him and to keep a timer regarding answers and debate.
Leader Herald Publisher Josh Resnek will moderate the debate.
MAY 22: Mayoral candidate Gerly Adrien collects signatures from Everett residents in Everett Square. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)
By JOSH RESNEK
Mayoral candidate Gerly Adrien handed in her nomination papers Monday morning to the Election Commission at city hall.
Her forces gathered 623 signatures since nomination papers were handed out last week.
Thus ended a flurry of activity by Adrien to get her name officially on the ballot before the mayor and Fred Capone, both of whom are now gathering signatures.
Adrien again proved she is likely the most highly organized candidate for public office in Everett.
Most signature collection drives take several weeks. Her rapid collection of 623 signatures effortlessly reveals several things about her candidacy.
By filing her nomination papers first, she has shown an ability to get out in front of the mayor and Capone.
MAY 22: Mayoral candidate Fred Capone greets supporters while campaigning and collecting signatures in Everett Square Saturday. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)
Candidates strategies differ as they vie for corner office
By JOSH RESNEK
As May transits to June, the mayoral hopefuls are all showing their hands, and their strategies to get themselves elected mayor.
All three races are especially transparent as to what each candidate is doing or not doing at this early moment in a race that will end with a primary during the first week in September.
Gerly Adrien and Fred Capone have both been campaigning door to door and with noticeable early morning visibilities every day.
In what must be considered a first, Adrien has already filed her signatures following an organized, early signature campaign.
Filing signatures after only a week since the nomination papers were issued is fairly extraordinary.
The mayor appeared to be giving away an early start to his two opponents.
MAY 16: Gerly Adrien waves to passersby at Glendale Park. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)
Capone, Adrien, mayor’s campaigns race out of the gate
By JOSH RESNEK
All three mayoral candidates have jumped from the starting gate with vigorous campaigns, featuring highly professionalized social media platforms – Facebook and Instagram and websites – as well as videos, and press releases.
Early in the campaign visibilities by Adrien and Capone, that is, in-person early morning and during the day public campaigning in Glendale Square and door to door meet- ups with voters throughout the city, have raised eyebrows throughout the community.
Everett is a political community. City hall is important. Who sits as mayor is the veritable top of the mountain.
All three candidates want to get there.
The mayor very badly wants to remain there.
He has been ramping up his media machine for months. The staff devoted to his media runs into the hundreds of thousands in salaries.
The mayor has been using his office to propel his public relations in a variety of ways.
He publishes an informational newsletter with his photograph on it that is distributed throughout the city once a month. This costs the city $4000 a month. He claims it is not a political newsletter, but local voters are a bit more discerning than that.
Everett City Councilor Gerly Adrien. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso)
SPECIAL TO THE LEADER
Today, Gerly Adrien released a video to announce her candidacy for the 2021 Everett Mayoral election. As a long-time Everett Resident, small business owner, and At-Large City Councilor, Adrien has spent years fighting for Everett residents, and is running a grassroots powered campaign to bring new leadership to Everett’s executive office.
“Everett residents have been fighting for change from our local government before the pandemic began,” said Gerly Adrien. “In this moment of crisis, it’s time to follow their lead and elect bold leadership to reimagine city hall for a better Everett.”
In November 2019, Gerly Adrien was elected as the first Black, Haitian-American female City Councilor At-Large of Everett, landing in the number one spot, beating out two incumbents. Since then, Adrien has fought, introduced, and pushed for policies that help all individuals and families have access to the resources they need to have a better life. As Mayor, she will continue the fight to improve education, economic development and quality of life for the people of Everett.
“Over the past few years, I have been honored to work in partnership with the community and residents to envision a city that provides wealth building opportunities for everyone,” said Adrien. “Together, we can provide affordable housing and pathways to homeownership, spur economic growth through workforce development and supporting our local businesses, and create a City Hall that represents all of us, by building public trust and improving transparency in local government.”
“I am ready to take on the challenge of changing the status quo and meet this moment for change,” said Gerly Adrien.
Gerly Adrien will be hosting a series of community events throughout this month to engage with Everett residents.
Adrien will be available to engage with the media at her campaign launch rally on Sunday, May 2nd at Rivergreen Park, 1 Rivergreen Drive, Everett, MA 02149 at 4PM. Please RSVP by emailing info@gerlyadrien.com.
