THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 13, 2023 Page 3 ~ Letter to the Editor ~ Why would Gary Christenson choose to be Malden’s Mayor? T his letter is being written in response to Chris Burgan’s letter to the editor printed in a recent issue of the Malden Advocate (cover date: October 6, 2023). The letter was written in support of Lissette Alvarado’s campaign to be Mayor of Malden. Burgan describes Mayor Christenson as a “classic politician”, in search of “handshakes and photo shoots” and constantly searching for “the next publicity opportunity”. He goes on to state that he doubts that Mayor Christenson “really cares about the people in front of him”, and that Mayor Christenson only cares about what the people “can do for him”. Put simply, Chris Burgan’s impression of Mayor Gary Christenson is wrong. Mayor Christenson has a Juris Doctorate. (That is a fancy way of saying that he has the education to be a lawyer.) Mayor Christenson has the education and background to live comfortably (in Malden or elsewhere), and could easily be making the same amount of money (realistically more) as a lawyer. Malden’s Mayor does not need to walk to and from work in Malden Square. He does not need to pick up trash on his way to and from work. The obvious question is why would Gary Christenson choose to be Malden’s Mayor? The answer is simple. Gary gives a damn. Gary gives a damn about Malden. He gives a damn about his neighbors. Mystic River Watershed Association comments on Healey-Driscoll administration’s new ‘ResilientMass’ plan Note: The following info is based on a statement from the Mystic River Watershed Association.) “T he Healey Administration is setting the pace for the entire nation in moving to a whole-of-government approach to climate change…” focusing on updated building codes, increasing funding and financing and focusing “on protecting the people and resources that most need public support. This will make an enormous difference here in the Mystic River watershed, where we have been depending on private grants to provide the regional support communities need to tackle climate challenges at a regional scale.” Some of the framework the ResilientMass plan creates: • Creating an office of Climate Science so decisions are based on the most accurate climate projections • Focusing on heat safety, especially in public housing, low-income, BIPOC neighborhoods and Department of Conservation & Recreation parks • Developing a Massachusetts floodplain management plan to help address intense and unpredictable rainfall • Developing a coastal resilience policy across 78 locales to manage damage from storms and sea level rise “Massachusetts has a blizzard culture. We are not yet a flooding or heat wave culture. The ResilientMass Plan is a major step forward by the [Commonwealth] to prepare governments, businesses, and residents to manage these emerging weather events with the same awareness and effective response as we already have in place for winter storms.” For more information: https://mass.gov/news/ healey - dr iscoll-admin - i s t rat ion- releases - readi - ness-plan-to-protect-against-extreme-weather GO TO REVERESELFSTORAGE.COM TO RESERVE ONLINE OR SCAN QR CODE • 100% Climate Controlled Facility • Newly Constructed Facility • 5000 Lb. Oversized Elevator • Secure Units–Various Sizes • State-Of-The-Art Surveillance Cameras • Secure Units–Various Sizes Even when I have disagreed with his decisions, I would never question how much he cares about Malden and the people who live here. I am not questioning Lissette Alvarado’s integrity, nor her concern and affection for Malden. That is not the point of this letter. The point of this letter should be obvious. Gary gives a damn. (And, if any of Mayor Christenson’s supporters want to use that line, just be sure to use it well.) Nicholas Forgione Malden Ward 2-2 On Tuesday, November 7th GRAND OPENING SPECIAL!
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