Everett MA – Page 2 – Everett Leader Herald

— Eye on Everett —

Casino needs a tune-up

By Josh Resnek

The first sign everything was not going to be the way it was supposed to be with the casino was when the traffic never materialized.

Everyone in a position of responsibility had been led to believe that when the casino opened its doors, the traffic would line-up from he casino to New Hampshire!

That’s an overstatement, of course, but the harsh reality about the traffic never coming to ruin our lives being one of the missing links to the over the top success everyone thought the casino would be.

In the short term, the casino has served its purpose.

Thousands of people employed.

Many thousands coming to gamble and to stay at the five star hotel. Everett put on the map in a very big way.

The hungry city treasury and the city tendency to always spend whatever comes in at least partially satisfied by the new revenue flow, which is enormous.

What didn’t happen, however, is what is sorely missing in this $2.6 billion investment by Wynn Resorts.

What is missing are the large crowds that were expected.

The hoards that were to have descended on the casino, packing it and making of it the biggest money maker in the history of money makers is absent.

Executives are trying to figure out what works in the Massachusetts marketplace, and frankly, they are baffled about how to pack the place.

This has not happened.

Why?

Massachusetts is proving itself to be different from nearly all the states in the union.

What a surprise.

Continue reading — Eye on Everett —

About diversity, again

The mayor announced at the annual Martin Luther King dinner that he is excited and eager to open an office of diversity at city hall.

The compelling question is this – who will the mayor choose to head this new office?

Will he hire someone of color and ethnicity or will he give the job to his favorite political hack, The Paper Boy, Jerry Navarro?

Oddly enough, several people said this week they believed Navarro would be the head of the office of diversity!

Frankly, such an appointment would be too embarrassing to believe much less to accept.

Continue reading About diversity, again

Come clean Rep. McGonagle

We have learned that a legislative aid to Rep. Joe McGonagle just completed her first day working in the mayor’s front office.

Sources tell us that she is studying the city’s 311 emergency system.

This is all well and good but the people who sent McGonagle to the State House need to know what this is all about.

How long will Ms. Lees be in the mayor’s office?

What are her duties?

Is Ms. Lees now working for the mayor as part of his effort to get McGonagle re-elected?

Continue reading Come clean Rep. McGonagle

Jeff Bouvier’s dream

The owner of the Bouvier Building in Everett Square went before the Zoning Board of Appeals Tuesday night to test the waters for a boutique hotel with 23 rooms.

This is a universe away from the perpetual state of affairs for this key structure in the heart of the Everett Square which the Bouvier Family has owned for 65 years.

Built in 1877, the building for longer than a century housed offices and apartments upstairs, and featured the popular jewelry store by the same name, Bouvier’s, and Brighams on the street floor.

That was then. This is now.

The building has been an eyesore and from time to time, a danger to the well-being of everyone congregating in the square.

Now comes Jeff Bouvier proposing a boutique hotel, promising to retain the historic aspects of the building which was all about Victorian splendor when it was built, and wanting to remake the place in a very big way.

Continue reading Jeff Bouvier’s dream

Mayor 2019 campaign donations total $131,700

By Josh Resnek

A small galaxy of the rich, famous and influential in Greater Boston contributed to the mayor’s campaign fund in 2019.

The total take for the mayor in 20019 was $131,710.

Subtracting what is owed and what was spent from the total balance, the mayor is up about $108,000.

The actual cash amount in the account is $130,657 but he owes his

lawyers slightly more than $22,600 of that amount.
More than 112 City of Everett employees made contributions from

$100 to $1,000 while the family of the Human Resources Director as well as herself gave $2,000.

There were 28 $1,000 contributions noted in the mayor’s campaign finance report.

Among the rich and famous to contribute were Herb Chambers the car magnate.

He donated $1,000.

Continue reading Mayor 2019 campaign donations total $131,700