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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 Page 9 School Committee elects new officers By Adam Swift T he Revere School Committee elected new offi cers at its organizational meeting on Tuesday night, with vice-chair Stacey Rizzo presenting some big picture goals for the coming year. Rizzo was unanimously elected the vice-chair and Anthony D’Ambrosio was unanimously elected secretary of the committee. Mayor Brian Arrigo sits as the chair of the school committee. While Rizzo said the COVID-19 pandemic has put a lot on the school committee’s plate, she said there are a number of big picture pillars she hopes to see the committee work on. “I’m hoping that some of you might think of what you want to accomplish as a group as a whole,” said Rizzo as she presented what she called her four pillars for the coming year. “Some people might agree with them, and some people might not agree, and people might want to add their own.” The fi rst pillar revolves around equity and equality. “We’ve started talking about starting our new advisory group and also a subcommittee on equity,” Rizzo said. Overall, she said, Revere has done well in dealing with issues of equity and equality, but she said she would like to see some more work on it as 7,000 students and the contracts for over 700 staff members. We need to work and respect the positions we have been honored with, and also request that our other local governing bodies respect our positions as we do theirs.” City of Revere provides update on January COVID-19 testing services T he City of Revere provided an update on COVID-19 testing services available to residents durANTHONY D’AMBROSIO SECRETARY a group. Rizzo said advocacy also needs to be a continued focus for the school committee. “It’s the most powerful and critical role that we have as education leaders,” said Rizzo. “We have fi rsthand understanding of what is needed to ensure the best education for public school children. We have important messages to deliver to state and federal legislators, the administration, the media and our community.” The third goal of Rizzo’s is for the school committee to strengthen and promote its autonomy. “We are not a department in the city of Revere, we are elected offi cials like our mayor, the city council and the state delegates,” she said. “We are responsible for a budget of over $100 million, the education of over STACY RIZZO VICE CHAIR Finally, Rizzo said, the school committee should work on accountability beyond the constraints of fi scal responsibility. “This is a time where we need to chart a vision for how education can emerge stronger from this global crisis than ever before and propose a path for capitalizing on education’s newfound support in virtually every community across the globe,” she said. “I believe that our students need to be in school, in some way, and we need all the stakeholders to come to the table and work on what’s best for our students.” ing January. The City and Board of Health continue to work diligently to ensure this critical resource is available to residents. Residents should always check www.revere. org/coronavirus before visiting a location or call 3-1-1 for updated information. As of January 4, the Revere Board of Health recorded 35 new cases of COVID-19 among Revere residents; the city is now averaging 68 new cases a day and its 14day positivity rate is 12.3 percent. Resident only testing • Revere Senior Center (25 Winthrop Ave.): This testing site will operate on Fridays and Sundays through the month of January from 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Proof of Revere residency is required. Parking is limited at this location and residents are urged to use the Central Avenue Municipal Parking Lot. This is a walk-up testing site only. • Mobile Testing Van: In partnership with Mass General Brigham, the City of Revere will be off ering a COVID-19 mobile testing van in the Central Avenue Municipal Parking Lot every Wednesday in January from 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Proof of residency is required. The mobile van will be off ered elsewhere in Revere during the month; dates and locations will follow. This is a walk-up testing site only. General public testing • Revere High School (101 School St.): This location will continue to operate at its current hours of Monday-Friday from 4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 7:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. The site is open to the public. No appointment, insurance or proof of residency is required. Residents should keep in mind that this site is weather-dependent and subject to long lines. Individuals might be turned away prior to closing time if the site has reached maximum capacity. • Express COVID-19 Testing Site at Suff olk Downs (31 Furlong Dr.): Preregistration is required in advance for this testing option – current testing appointments are being booked a few days out. To preregister, create an account at www.beacontesting.com. This test is drive-thru only and a self-swab test. It can be accessed from either Revere Beach Parkway or Route 1A (William McClellan Parkway). Access from Route 1A is recommended in order to drive directly into the queue. Governor signs police reform legislation BOSTON – On December 31, 2020, Governor Charlie Baker signed “An Act relative to justice, equity and accountability in law enforcement in the Commonwealth,” which creates a mandatory certifi cation process for police offi cers, increases accountability and transparency in law enforcement and gives police departments a greater ability to hire or promote only qualifi ed applicants. “This bill is the product of bipartisan cooperation and thanks to the Black and Latino Caucus’ leadership on the hugely important issue of law enforcement accountability, Massachusetts will have one of the best laws in the nation,” said Governor Baker. “Police offi - cers have enormously diffi cult jobs and we are grateful they put their lives on the line every time they go to work. Thanks to fi nal negotiations on this bill, police offi cers will have a system they can trust and our communities will be safer for it.” “This legislation will bring Massachusetts in line with 46 other states by adopting a mandatory certifi cation process for police offi - cers, creating more accountability and transparency while providing departments the ability to make more informed hiring and recruitment decisions,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We are grateful to the Legislature for their commitment to getting this signifi cant legislation passed and believe this bill will help best serve all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns.” “In a deeply challenging year for the dedicated men and women in law enforcement, this reform will create meaningful opportunities for us to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the values of honesty, integrity and accountability,” said retiring Executive Offi ce of Public Safety and Security Secretary Thomas Turco. “As we implement these measures, our work remains focused on strengthening preparedness, preventing crime at every level and building positive relationships in the communities we serve.” “I am proud that the House lived up to its vow of listening to folks with lived experience in enacting one of the most comprehensive approaches to police reform in the United States since the tragic murder of George Floyd,” said former House Speaker Robert DeLeo. “My unyielding gratitude to Speaker Mariano and Chairs Cronin, Michlewitz and González for their persistent eff ort to improve our law enforcement system. I am confi dent that the House of Representatives will build on this achievement in the time ahead and am humbled that legislation which promotes fairness and equality are part of the House’s legacy.” “The eff ort to dismantle institutional and structural racism that exists in our Commonwealth must be both a sprint and a marathon,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “This bill was a necessary fi rst step towards achieving systemic change through law enforcement accountability and transparency, but I recognize that we must continue to address barriers to racial equity in a comprehensive way. I am proud of everyone who marched for equity and justice, who continued to raise their voices throughout the process of getting this bill fi nalized, and who will hold us accountable as we continue this work. I am also extremely proud of my partners in government who felt the gravity of the situation we faced, and who worked hard to meet the moment. Thank you to the members of the Senate and the House, especially Senators Chang-Diaz and Brownsberger and Representatives Cronin and González, as well as Speakers DeLeo and Mariano and Governor Baker for ensuring this landmark bill became law.” “This legislation is a bold step forward in the modernization of our law enforcement standards,» said House Speaker Ronald Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka for guiding the House and Senate as we answered the calls for reform that fi lled the streets this summer. I also want to thank Governor Baker and the members of the conference committee, particularly Chairwoman Claire Cronin and Representative Carlos González, who worked so diligently on an incredibly complex and emotional issue.” “For the fi rst time, Massachusetts will have an independent agency for the statewide certifi cation of law enforcement offi cers. This will ensure accountability in law enforcement,” said Representative Claire Cronin (D-Easton), who is House Chair of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on the Judiciary. “This legislation is about justice and fairness: fairness for those that interact with law enforcement, and fairness for our law enforcement offi cers.” “The members of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association [MCOPA] are eager to turn the page on what has been an unprecedented and incredibly diffi - cult and enduring year on so many diff erent levels,” said Police Chief Edward Dunne, who is President of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. “We are extremely confi dent that this comprehensive legislation signed into law by the Governor…will serve to renew an elevated sense of faith, confi - dence, and trust that the residents of the Commonwealth will have in their law enforcement agencies across the state. The MCOPA fully realizes and wholeheartedPOLICE | SEE Page 11

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