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Page 12 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 MAYOR | FROM PAGE 4 the way. I am so proud of the individuals you have become and I will always show you the same unwavering support you have given me that has allowed me to serve. The biggest debt of gratitude that I owe is to my wonderful wife, Stacy. I know that on the night we met, you probably didn’t imagine every step that we have taken on our journey together. There are aspects of the job that elected officials have come to expect. We know that we will be questioned and we will face public scrutiny-that comes with the territory. What many people don’t understand is the job that our spouses and our families assume when you are a public official. No matter what we have had to face-you have been by my side as my wife, my partner and my best friend. I am proud and grateful for the strength that you have shown and my love for you has grown with each passing year. Thank you for your love, your support and everything that you have done for me, our children and to help improve the lives of families throughout Everett. And I would like to thank the rest of my family for all they have done. Your support means so much to me. As I join you today, there are certain things that remain unchanged from my first inauguration as Mayor 14 years ago. I am a life-long resident of Everett who leads with both my head and my heart, which has a deep love for our City. I continue to have great hope for our future. I know that many of you share my passion for making our city stronger and an even better place to live and call home. And what was true then, what has been true every day since and what will remain true for these next 4 years is that I will fulfill my public duty as Mayor by being thoughtful, deliberate and by making sound, strategic decisions on how we can best move our City forward in ways that will benefit everyone in Everett. You have placed in me your faith and trust to serve as the Chief Executive for our community. I will continue to execute plans to make our vision for the future of Everett a reality. We will continue to improve our City infrastructure by investing in road repairs and sidewalks, water and sewer main replacements, renovating our parks, building a new police station and renovating the Connolly Center. We will continue to pursue a new high school to reduce crowding across our school system. These investments are part of the reason why families have chosen to make Everett their life-long home and are reasons why new people are choosing to make our City their home. Everett is our home because of our infrastructure, parks, schools and our low crime rate which help create a positive community environment. We’ll also keep working to improve our public transportation options. We were the first to introduce bus rapid transit lanes, but now we must continue our push to have the best BRT option in the Commonwealth. Our residents deserve a one seat trip to Boston. Our residents that can’t rely on public transportation also deserve for us to find more ways to reduce traffic congestion. We also must continue to work with our federal delegation to take advantage of the infrastructure dollars that will be made available to states to support transportation that also will increase economic development. The future development of the Exxon parcel has the ability to bring thousands of jobs into our City. Expanding our rail options, including the electrification of the commuter rail, has incredible potential to magnify the benefits that will come to our City and to our residents when we replace dirty, outdated industrial properties with clean industries that rely upon 21st century technology. Investing in our infrastructure will bring better jobs to our residents and increase commercial tax revenues that will support the services that our residents deserve. While it is important for me as Mayor to have longer term strategic plans for capital investments, for transportation planning and for economic development, what we must always remember is the fundamental principle of public service and that is that government is meant to serve the people. The best part of being a public servant is the ability to make a difference in the life of someone else. We are so fortunate to have the chance to help others. When our residents talk about the importance of City Hall being accessible, I think what they mean is that they want to know that we will be there for them when they need help. I am reminded of a speech that President Obama gave in which he described the character of America as “our ability to stand in other people’s shoes; a recognition that we are all in this together, and when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand.” I believe that our City government should be the hand that is there for our residents. We are fortunate for the progress that we have made in Everett, which has laid the foundation for our continued growth. But there are still serious challenges that our families face every day and more work to be done. • We will keep increasing the availability of affordable housing units so residents will be able to afford to continue to call Everett their home. • We will coordinate with all our public and private social and human service partners to make sure that residents have access to the medical, mental health, housing and workforce development opportunities they need to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. • We need to continue to find ways to help our residents to overcome the stressors that the pandemic has brought into our lives, including those who are struggling from the loss of loved ones, those who are dealing with depression and anxiety, and especially our young people who have had parts of their childhood and adolescence stolen from them by COVID. • We need to continue to find additional supports for those among us who suffer from drug addiction. For as many lives as COVID has taken from us, drug addiction continues to be one of the most serious threats to the well-being of our residents. My greatest wish is to never have to console another parent, spouse, sister, brother or child of a resident who is struggling with substance abuse. And for those of you among us who know what that struggle is like, I want you to know that you are not alone. • While I am grateful that I am able to call Everett my home, I know that there are those in our community who don’t have a place to call home. Some of them struggle with mental illness; some of them struggle with drug addiction; some of them struggle with both. Some of them have just experienced really difficult circumstances and have fallen on hard times. Whatever the reason, I want us to be there to give them a helping hand if they are willing to work with us to make a better life for themselves. The desire to build a better life for ourselves and our families is what unites us. We are so fortunate to live in a community that reflects so much diversity. People from all over the world have chosen to make Everett their home and to bring with them their culture, their heritage, and their faith. And it is that desire to create a community and to have a place to MAYOR | SEE PAGE 13

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