Page 6 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 27, 2026 Mayor Van Campen Announces New Yoga Class for Older Adults New program expands weekly exercise classes offered at the Connolly Center E VERETT, MA – Mayor Robert J. Van Campen is pleased to announce that the City of Everett’s Council on Aging (COA) has expanded the weekly exercise programs to include a new yoga class. Beginning Monday, April 6, at 10:15 a.m., and every Monday at the same time moving forward, participants will join former professional gymnast Josephine “Josie” Penza. With over 40 years of experience, she will guide each class with a focus on core strength, balance and resistance using yoga techniques. This new program is a part of the Council on Aging’s wider offering of recurring exercise programming that is offered at the Connolly Center. Each week, Everett’s older adults can stay active through fun and engaging exercise classes like Zumba, line dancing and yoga. For more information about the activities at the Connolly Center, call 617394-2323. APPROVE | FROM PAGE 1 ly sign in and out logs, comply with healthcare laws and submit monthly payroll records.” She added that the ordinance will create standards and a system for employees to report violations, especially nonunion workers. Capone objected on the grounds the City can’t enforce all the regulations. “If we vote this in, what would we be able to enforce and what are the subjective and objective standards?” she asked. “The state runs a lot of this; are we opening ourselves up to lawsuits?” “Are we not going to do the right thing because someone might sue us?” Martins asked back. “That’s not right.” Councillor-at-Large Katy Rogers added that the ordinance will give Everett the ability to report violations to state authorities. In discussion, Capone argued the ordinance violated “interference with contractual relations” regulations and that the City can be sued if it claims to have authority it doesn’t have. “We represent all the residents of Everett to try to prevent lawsuits, so they don’t have to pay unnecessary money,” she said. In Public Participation, former Everett and current Lynn resident Justin Anshewitz said he’s helped Lynn craft a similar ordinance in his role as chairman of its Wage Theft Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC). He said such ordinances give communities “tools to address these things LISTENING TOUR | FROM PAGE 1 “It was great meeting Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro this week. We had productive conversations around best practices, strengthening government transparency and making sure our financial decisions serve Everett residents responsibly. I’m looking forward to working collaboratively moving forward,” Mayor Van Campen said. As the only statewide inspector general in the country with municipal oversight, Inspector General Shapiro regularin their community and protect workers and themselves in the procurement process.” He said that before Lynn had a wage theft protection ordinance it referred issues to the state Attorney General and Department of Labor, but it took three years for them to determine how it would be resolved. “If Lynn had had tools, workers wouldn’t have had to wait three years for nearly half a million dollars in restitution that was coming to them and city coffers,” he said. NASRCC Legislative Director and former Worcester Mayor and City Councillor Joseph O’Brien also spoke in Public Participation. “If you’re going to use public money with tax credits, you have to follow the language of their ordinance,” he said. “It will protect workers who are too often exploited in the construction industry and protect honest contractors who have to compete when they pay taxes and provide things like workers compensation and make sure people have access to unemployment insurance but compete against people who don’t. Wage theft hurts all taxpayers. When contractors don’t pay into the compensation system, that costs everyone.” He also said the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities passed “responsible contractor guidance,” in part because so many developments with affordable housing are not subject to local regulations under Massachusetts General Law 40B and/ or use public money or receive tax incentives in public/private partnerships. ly meets with municipal officials to discuss how the Office of Inspector General (OIG) can support them in safeguarding public resources. Thus far, the Inspector General has travelled to over 100 city and town halls across the Commonwealth. As a result of these meetings, he has advocated for commonsense changes to the state’s procurement laws, offered free procurement certification training to municipalities and school districts and separated the OIG’s procurement compliance function from the technical support function.
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