EV Vol. 31, No.11 -FREEEVE ER TT A household word in Everett for 30 years! ADDOCCO TEAT www.advocatenews.net Free Every Friday 617-387-2200 Friday, March 18, 2022 Schiavo Club celebrates St. Patrick’s Day Banking with a hometown touch. Open a free checking account with no monthly fees, and get access to Mobile Banking, Bill Pay and other features. Because no matter where you go, we’re right by you. Call or visit us to sign up. 419 BROADWAY, EVERETT MA 02149 61 7-38 7 - 1 1 10 7 7 1 SALEM ST, LYNNFIELD, MA 01940 781-7 76- 4444 WWW.EVERET TBANK . COM T Right by you. Member FDIC Member DIF he City Council recently voted 3-7 against adopting a state statute to provide Paid Medical Leave to municipal employees. During the council’s March SINCE 1921 Messinger Insurance Agency 475 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 Phone: 617-387-2700 Fax: 617-387-7753 NEW COMPETITIVE AUTO RATES AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE ACCIDENT FORGIVENESS DISAPPEARING COLLISION DEDUCTIBLE 11% DISCOUNT WITH SUPPORTING POLICY 10% COMBINED PAY IN FULL DISCOUNT AND GREEN DISCOUNT 10% GOOD STUDENT DISCOUNT Celebrating 100 years of excellence! Monday thru Friday: 8am to 6pm Saturdays 9am to 1pm! Check out our NEW website! www.messingerinsurance.com 14 meeting, Ward 2 Councillor Stephanie Martins said 1,900 Everett employees, including those in the School Department, would benefi t from the statute. She said employees would receive 12 weeks of Paid Family Medical Leave and 20 weeks of Paid Personal Medical Leave. Had the council voted favorably, Everett would have been the fi rst community in Massachusetts to adopt the state statute. “We have the opportunity to lead the way, to be the fi rst city,” said Martins. Councillor-at-Large Stephanie Smith said Everett’s employees deserve Paid Medical Leave. “It’s ridiculous that the City of Everett does not offer Paid Leave,” she said, adding that she would not be deterred by a failing vote and “I will be working with the administration and Councillor Martins to put our own [program] in place.” Ward 3 Councillor Anthony DiPierro said that would be a better option. “I would be much more comfortable EVERETT GO BRAGH: State Rep. Joe McGonagle, State Rep. Paul Donato and State Rep. Dan Ryan are shown, from left to right, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at the Schiavo Club last Friday evening. See page 11 for photo highlights. (Advocate photo by Katy Rogers) City Council votes against adoption of Paid Medical Leave By Christopher Roberson with an Everett-specifi c plan, not a cookie-cutter approach,” he said. Human Resources Director Justin Shrader said the state program would cost at least $800,000 and any unused funds would be returned to the state. Therefore, councillors raised concerns about how the cost of the program would impact the city’s taxpayers. Erin Deveney, chief of staff for Mayor Carlo DeMaria, said employees are currently covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Although FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of job protection, it does not provide employee compensation. “This would be an entirely new leave benefi t that the city would be paying at least a portion of, if not the entire cost,” said Deveney. Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Matewsky was suspicious that no other community had adopted the statute. “That’s puzzling and concerning to me,” he said. “I’m not prepared to vote in favor of it because I just can’t seem to understand it.” Revere Beach Parkway In other news, the counVOTES | SEE PAGE 17
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