Fire chief resigns

The resignation of the fire chief brings to mind the question: who runs the fire department?

Does the fire chief run the department?

Does the union head of the firefighter’s local run the department?

Or does city hall run the department?

The greater question is this: does it matter who runs the department as long as the department is run efficiently and by the book?

Fire chiefs come and fire chiefs go. The department always carries on.

However, it is imperative that the Everett Fire Department be run by a qualified chief of operations who understands firefighting, who has been a firefighter himself or herself, and whose entire amount of dedication to service is literally married to the welfare and to the betterment of the department.

Continue reading “Fire chief resigns” →

From the Publisher

In this difficult day, during this difficult time for the city of Everett, it’s perhaps well to ask what kind of a city this is, and what direction do we wish to move in?

For those of you who are Black people and Brown people, Hispanic and Brazilian — considering the evidence of how you are all treated by the leadership at Everett City Hall, it appears a fact that there are white people who are responsible for perpetuating your second class citizenship in this city.

However, the vast majority of Everett’s white people are seeking justice from city hall the way you are – and in this respect – you are all one, exposed to the racism, the homophobia, the sexual harassment and retaliation of a city hall out of control.

You can be filled with anger, and some of you with hatred, and a desire for revenge, because of how you have been treated by city hall and Everett’s elected public officials.

We can move in that direction as a city filled with hatred toward one another, or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand, and to comprehend, and to overcome that hatred and racism.

Continue reading “From the Publisher” →

Anthony DiPierro

It took Anthony DiPierro six weeks to realize he must resign.

His resignation Monday was an anti-climax.

We all knew this day was coming.

We didn’t know when.

It was expected he could not possibly stand up to Attorney General Maura Healey who said he was unfit to serve and he should resign, that his position as an elected public official, given what he had done and how he acted toward people of color, was unacceptable.

For weeks, DiPierro refused to accept the harsh reality of his decision not to resign.

He claimed the mayor wanted him to remain until Sergio Cornelio had been run out of office, using DiPierro’s vote to seal the deal with the do nothing city council.

Continue reading “Anthony DiPierro” →

Councilor DiPierro: “Resign For The Good Of Everett”

By Paul Sterite

My husband and I have been residents and home owners of Everett for almost 40 years; we are troubled and disgusted by the recent text messages involving the councilor and other city workers.

One of those city workers being the director of communications, sharing a sexist and unprofessional comment to the councilor.

What kind of message is this sending to the children of Everett?

It’s important to remember that the councilor’s racist and hurtful text messages were being shared while he was targeting and attacking a black female councilor and pressuring her to resign while we were all dealing with Covid.

Our Mayor, the councilor’s cousin, blamed the leak on bad blood. Why are they trying to defend and deflect his behavior?

This is a teachable moment for the councilor, the mayor and the city – words and actions have consequences even when you are the mayor’s cousin.

It was the councilor’s actions that have caused his and the city reputation to be damaged.

Continue reading “Councilor DiPierro: “Resign For The Good Of Everett”” →