26

Page 26 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, OCTObER 24, 2025 BEACON | FROM PAGE 25 a stopped vehicle with fl ashing lights on the shoulder of a road or breakdown lane of a highway. Drivers on a highway with multiple lanes in each direction would also be required, if practicable, to change lanes to ensure greater safety for vehicles and individuals in the breakdown lane. The bill expands the state’s existing Move Over Law which provides this protection for emergency response vehicles, highway maintenance vehicles and tow trucks. “This essential legislation is a critical upgrade to our Move Over Law, expanding its life-saving protections to everyone who must work or wait on the side of a busy highway,” said sponsor Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn), Senate Chair of the Committee on Transportation. “By including disabled vehicles and utility workers and implementing stronger penalties, we are making everyone on our roads safer.” “National Grid employees perform critical repairs and maintenance to ensure safe, reliable energy service across Massachusetts every day when customers need it most,” said Shaun Vacher, Vice-President of Electric Operations for National Grid. “We thank the Senate for passing this important legislation to provide essential protections for roadside utility crews, helping ensure they can do this vital LEGAL NOTICE City of Everett PLANNING BOARD 484 BROADWAY EVERETT, MA 02149 Frederick Cafasso - Chairman LEGAL NOTICE EVERETT PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE Public Hearing on an application by Everett Landco, LLC Property located at: 52 Beacham Street Master Plan Special Permit In accordance with the provisions of M.G.L Chapter 40A and with Sections 36 and 37 of the Everett Zoning Ordinance, the Everett Planning Board will conduct a public hearing on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 6:00PM in the Speaker George Keverian Room (Room 37, Everett City Hall) to consider the above-listed application for a Master Plan Special Permit. This Master Plan seeks approval for a variety of uses on multiple parcels of land within the Everett Docklands Innovation District totaling 106.21-acres of land. Totaling approximately 5.04-million square feet of development, the Master Plan anticipates a mix of uses including, but not limited to, residential, manufacturing, industrial, lab/office, and research & development. Supporting these new uses are over 10,000 linear feet of new roads and infrastructure and over 15-acres of open space and public parks. The Master Plan area encompasses parcels referenced by Assessors Department as H0-01-000130, H0-05-00162A, H0-05-00162B, H0-10-000069, and H0-11-000080. A copy of the application and plans are on file and available in the Office of the City Clerk and the Department of Planning and Development, both located at City Hall, 484 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 and can be inspected online anytime at http://www.cityofeverett.com/449/PlanningBoard and/or by request during regular City Hall business hours by contacting The Planning and Development Office at 617-394-2334. All persons interested in or wishing to be heard on the applications may attend and participate in person. This project, along with all other projects to be discussed at the meeting, can be found on the posted Agenda at the following link: http://www.cityofeverett.com/AgendaCenter. Questions and comments can be directed in advance of the public hearing to Matt Lattanzi of the Department of Planning & Development at Matt.Lattanzi@ci.everett.ma.us or 617-394-2230. Frederick Cafasso Chairman October 24, 31, 2025 work safely and without unnecessary risk.” “The Massachusetts State Police shares the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s support for this bill, which provides important additions to the commonwealth’s existing Move Over Law,” said Col. Geoff rey Noble, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police. “While these expanded provisions support our ability to address dangerous behavior through enforcement, above all else, we want drivers to slow down and change lanes away from stationary vehicles when it’s safe to do so. Taking these common-sense steps will prevent the serious injuries and fatal outcomes that change lives forever.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL THE HOUSE GAVE INITIAL APPROVAL TO SEVERAL BILLS INCLUDING: FIRE CHIEF MUST BE A FORMER FIREFIGHTER (H 2646) – Would require that any candidates for appointment to the position of Fire Chief, Fire Commissioner or head of a fi re department in any city or town, must have been a uniformed member of the Massachusetts fi refi ghting force of a Massachusetts Fire Department for a minimum of fi ve years. Supporters said this would ensure that anyone appointed to one of these high positions has some fi rsthand experience as a fi refi ghter and has come up through the ranks. Rep. Dan Hunt (D-Boston), the sponsor of the measure, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on his bill and its passage. REQUIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS (H 2644) – Would allow cities and towns to require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in any building with more than four units, which “undergoes a major alteration or modifi cation and is occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes” including lodging houses, boarding houses, fraternity houses, dormitories, apartments, townhouses, condominiums, hotels, motels and group residences. This requirement would replace a current law that allows cities and towns to require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in any building with more than four units, which is “substantially rehabilitated so as to constitute the equivalent of new construction.” Both the current law and the bill allow cities and towns to require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in newly constructed buildings. Supporters of the bill said that the “major alteration” standard is more inclusive and will apply to more buildings than the “substantially rehabilitated so as to constitute the equivalent of new construction” standard. They argued that changing the standard will save more lives. They noted that automatic sprinklers work fast and give people more time to escape. They said that according to the Massachusetts Fire Sprinkler Coalition, having both sprinklers and smoke alarms reduces the risk of dying in a home fi re by 80 percent. They also pointed out that automatic sprinklers put out 90 percent of home fi res before the fi re department arrives, which reduces fi refi ghters’ exposure to the toxic products of combustion that cause cancer. Once again, Rep. Dan Hunt (D-Boston), the sponsor of the proposal, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on his bill and its approval. ABSENTEE BALLOTS (H 830) – Would require that early voting and absentee ballots be identical to a regular ballot that voters use on Election Day. Supporters said that current law only requires the ballots to be “similar.” They argued that it makes no sense for any of these three ballots to be diff erent from each other. Rep. Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn), the sponsor of the measure, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on his bill and its passage. GOVERNOR’S COUNCILOR (H 805) – Would require that when candidates for Governor’s Council are listed on a voter ballot, the offi ce they are seeking be listed as Governor’s Council. Under current law, the listing says simply “Council.” Supporters said that using the word “Council” is too vague and many voters have no idea about the offi ce for which they are voting. They note that the Governor’s Council is a very important and powerful 8-member board which according to its website “meets weekly to record advice and consent on warrants for the state treasury, pardons and commutations, and recording advice and consent to gubernatorial appointments such as judges, clerk-magistrates, public administrators, members of the Parole Board, Appellate Tax Board, Industrial Accident Board and Industrial Accident Reviewing Board, notaries and justices of the peace.” Reps. Simon Cataldo (D-Concord) and Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury), the co-sponsors of the proposal, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them BEACON | SEE PAGE 27

27 Publizr Home