Everett MA – Page 2 – Everett Leader Herald

Adrien sends thanks for fundraising event

Participants in a Zoom fundraising event held by City Councilor Gerly Adrien. (Contributed by Adrien campaign)

To the Editor,

I want to take a moment to thank all my friends and elected officials who participated in our Spring Fundraiser last Thursday.

I want to especially thank Councilors Campbell, Clerger, Edwards, Winston, Wu and District Attorney Rollins, State Representative Elugardo, and State Senator DiDomenico for saying such kind words about the work we are doing in Everett. I also want to thank all the hosts, including Mayor Janey, Councilor Essaibi George, Bok, Zondervan, and State Representative Miranda for donating and spreading the word. I want to also say thank you to my friend and Everett Resident Allie for being our amazing MC.

— Eye on Everett —

“I’ve never been jealous of the mayor. I am a bit jealous today.”

– Josh Resnek talking with the mayor’s Blue Suit

By JOSH RESNEK

The Blue Suit and I met at Oliveira’s on Broadway just out of Glendale Square Tuesday afternoon.
We both did the buffet for the basics – salad, potatoes, rice – and then we went to the carving table where we were served some freshly broiled and cut rare steak, chicken, and lamb.

I believe Oliveira’s does Brazilian food about the best in the city.

We sat in the main dining room, off to a corner near to the front of the room. With social distancing restrictions limiting the number of tables, and not many of the tables filled with diners, we felt relatively safe.

The Blue Suit seemed happy. Frankly, I was a bit down.

Monday had been a bad day. I was recovering from it as we ate our plates food.

“What’s the problem, Josh? Usually, you are asking me what my problem is. Today, I have no problem, at least I’m not aware of any. I’m fine. I had a good Easter. The mayor has been leaving me alone. I’m up and at ‘em and ready to go,” the Blue Suit said slopping together a heaping fork of meat, lettuce, rice, and potato and shoving it into his mouth.

“Good God, man. How can you fit a giant helping of food like that inside your mouth?” I asked.

The Blue Suit chewed and chewed. He had so much food inside his mouth that it was difficult for him to swallow all of it. I thought he couldn’t breathe. Finally, he got it down. A big lump of food lodged in his throat. His throat bulged. Then it contracted when the food dropped. A moment later, He let out a loud clapper – a massive, howling, deep stomach burp.

“Excuse me!!!” the Blue Suit exclaimed.

Integrity

If Councillors Fred Capone and Gerly Adrien run for mayor, as we expect they will, the mayor will hard-pressed to account for his past actions and allegations of sexual harassment and alleged payoffs in return for municipal favors done during his twelve years in office.

In the present political and social environment, integrity, above all, is what ought to matter when it comes to who serves the people of the city in public office.

Popularity, too often, is the chief reason politicians are elected and re-elected over and over again.

In today’s highly polarized political environment, the political careers of some politicians and businessmen, and women can be ended in an instant without them stepping inside a courtroom.

Today, the public judges guilt and innocence by what is reported in the media or by the courts. Perception is everything.

The public and private lives of the president, governors, senators, congressmen, and mayors are scrutinized very closely these days.

It is the same with prominent businessmen and women.

We are on borrowed time

On March 22, the city council was informed by the fire chief that it was going to cost approximately $1.25 million to replace the aging arial Ladder 1, a 1995 Pierce heavy-duty ladder truck.

Aerial 1 is out of service.

The old Ladder 2 truck was sold many months back for $5,000.

This leaves only Aerial ladder 2 in working order. It is housed in the Ferry Street fire station.

Councilor Mike McLaughlin asked the chief to give an overview of the ladder truck situation.

“We are on borrowed time,” the chief replied.

Who is on borrowed time, we all should wonder?

Is it the people of Everett who rely on the rapid response of the fire department who are on borrowed time?

Is it the firefighters who need working equipment when it comes to matters of life and death when a building is on fire? The city has one aerial truck to rely on right now. The second ladder truck is out of service and so is virtually and physically useless.

A year lost is a year lost

Let’s face it, the school year 2020-2021 has been a bust. The pandemic ruined the year.

A year of personalized in-class learning was replaced with video learning. Never have we come to realize just how important in classroom teaching is to our children and the well-being of the Everett Public School System.

The year has essentially gone down the drain.

The disadvantages confronting students and teachers were manifold.

Nothing will be recovered by complaining about the year lost.

A year lost is a year lost. There is no way around minimizing such a loss.