THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Thursday, December 31, 2020 Page 3 Longtime Councillor Neal Anderson elected City Council President for 2021 He’s one of the longest-serving municipal legislators in Malden history By Steve Freker O ne of Malden’s longest-serving city legislators in municipal history is taking the reins as Malden City Council President for 2021. Longtime Ward 7 Councillor Neal Anderson will be wielding the gavel beginning with the fi rst meeting of the New Year in January after being elected at the last City Council meeting of the year on December 22. Anderson was elected by a majority vote of the Council, with the vote then changed to unanimous at the request of Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley, who had been the runner-up in the Council’s roll call balloting. Anderson will have served 26 years on the Malden City Council as of the close of this year, 12 terms in all, beginning when he was fi rst elected to represent Ward 7 in the fall of 1983. He served seven consecutive terms on the Council until he lost a reelection bid in 1997, leading to a 10-year break in his Council tenure. In 2007, Councillor Anderson returned to the political scene and ran for election to a then open Ward 7 seat, winning by a wide margin. Since returning in 2008, he has served six more terms, having last been reelected in 2019 to a seventh straight term. Councillor Anderson is rivaled in longevity by Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon, who followed a similar path, serving on the Council for many years, departing for a spell of years and then returning. The Ward 7 Councillor has also served as Council President several times in the past. Most recently, he made Council history when he served two consecutive years handling the gavel, in 2013 and 2014. At the time, the second year drew some controversy. The two years had never been done at the time. However, that mode was continued in the past two years as outgoing Council President Jadeane Sica, who represents Ward 8, has been at the Council helm AUTOTECH 1989 SINCE CA$H Neal Anderson Incoming Council President in both 2019 and 2020. Anderson, at the December 22 meeting, pledged to help keep the Council on a solid course heading into 2021. “It will be another challenging year, but we will continue to work together and come to the right decisions for the citizens of Malden, as we have done in the past,” Councillor Anderson said. Before the vote was taken, Ward 4’s O’Malley made a formal pitch for the Council President post, citing past practices of the Council and his desire and capability to handle the Jadeane Sica Outgoing Council President position. When the fi rst round of voting took place and Anderson was the majority winner by a 6-5 margin, O’Malley requested the record show a unanimous vote, and that motion was passed 11-0 by the Council, in a show of unity by its members. Anderson later publicly acknowledged and thanked O’Malley for the gesture. The Councillors were also unanimous in their expressions of their thanks to outgoing Council President COUNCILLOR | SEE PAGE 18 FOR YOUR CAR! DRIVE IT - PUSH IT - TOW IT! Cold Hard Cash For Your Car, Truck or SUV! 2013 KIA SORRENTO 4X4 Remote Start, Third Row Seating, Premium Sound System, One Owner, Only 73K Miles, One Owner, Warranty! TRADES WELCOME $10,900 Easy Financing Available! 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Sport Package, 4X4, Leather Interior, Loaded, One Owner, 105K Miles, Excellent Condition, Warranty! TRADES WELCOME $10,900 781-321-8841 1236 EasternAve • Malden EddiesAutotech.com We Pay Cash For Your Vehicle! SNOW BLOWER SALES, SERVICE & REPAIRS Pickup/Delivery Available 1039 BROADWAY, REVERE 781-289-6466 781-289-6466 WWW.BIKERSOUTFITTER.COM WWW.BIKERSOUTFITTER.COM
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