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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 16, 2026 Page 7 AUDIT | FROM Page 5 a June 26, 2021 article, the Boston Globe reported that Pearlstein himself stated he did not provide private legal advice to the Governor’s Office. Therefore, these records are subject to audit. “The Governor unlawfully blocked our office’s access to records connected to the tragedy that resulted in over 70 veteran fatalities. This raises serious concerns and warrants strong legal action. Lives were lost and families were devastated. It’s unacceptable to hide these records from auditors who have the legal authority to review them,” said Auditor DiZoglio. “I’m calling on the AG to authorize our office’s appointment of an attorney of our choosing. It’s critical that this matter be adjudicated and litigated by an attorney who is not beholden to this Administration — or the one prior. Anything less is a denial of justice to all impacted by this tragedy.” Among the audit’s findings, with respect to information our office was able to access, is that Holyoke could not ensure that nurses performed intentional rounding, a formal means of nursing staff checking the care needs of patients on a regular basis. If intentional rounding is not being completed, it could increase the risk of veterans having falls or other health issues that adversely contribute to veteran safety and well-being. It is reasonable to conclude that the absence of intentional rounding increased the risk—and likely the number of injuries—while reducing the quality of care, for veterans at Holyoke. The audit also found Holyoke and Chelsea violated state regulations by not conducting simulated emergency drills for all shifts. Without performing simulated emergency drills to test the effectiveness of their emergency operation plans, these veterans’ homes cannot ensure that they have an effective response to disasters and emergencies, thereby jeopardizing the safeMIDDLE SCHOOL | FROM Page 6 raised concerns about sibling placement, special education services, safety, and the clarity of the proposed maps. District leaders acknowledged those concerns and said feedty of veterans and hospital staff members. Moreover, Holyoke and Chelsea violated state regulations by not posting their emergency operation plans throughout their facilities as required. Without their emergency operation plans posted, Holyoke and Chelsea are unable to ensure an effective response to disasters and emergencies that impact the environment of care and could impede the safety of veterans and hospital staff members. Their emergency operations plans also did not contain the locations of alarm signals, fire extinguishers, and evacuation routes. This could affect the timely and safe evacuation of veterans, staff members, and visitors in the event of a disaster. Furthermore, the audit found Holyoke does not use an electronic health record system for veterans as required of other, similarly situated healthcare facilities. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there are multiple benefits to implementing an electronic health record system, including improved patient care. For example, an electronic health record system allows healthcare providers to access medical records in real time to provide accurate and timely care. An electronic health record system can reduce medical errors and delays in treatment, improve the accuracy and clarity of medical records, and improve the security of medical records. Among the Chelsea audit’s findings is that it did not always document the need or approval for nursing department overtime, as required by its overtime policy. If Chelsea does not properly document overtime occurrences, there is a higher-thanacceptable risk of Chelsea incurring unnecessary overtime expenses. A large number of overtime occurrences may also indicate staffing shortages at Chelsea. Moreover, the audit found Chelsea did not always meet the total nursing care needs for its back would help refine future decisions. A district-wide parent survey will be distributed this week, allowing families to review detailed data and rank their preferred options, including whether to keep the lottery system. Survey results will be presentveterans as determined by veterans’ assessments. Failure to meet the needs of veterans can lead to a variety of negative consequences for veterans, including an increased risk of mortality, physical decline, and infections, as well as emotional distress. It can also place excessive burdens on nursing staff who are required to perform duties in excess of what was planned for during various shifts. The audit also found Chelsea violated state regulations by not always updating its veterans’ assessments. If Chelsea does not complete and review each veteran’s assessment, Chelsea cannot ensure that it meets the nursing needs of each veteran in its care. It also did not always properly maintain nursing department staffing records and incident logs, which may have impacted the quality of care it provided to veterans. Without maintaining proper records, Chelsea cannot ensure that it is properly staffed and can provide necessary care to veterans. Finally, Chelsea’s audit determined that it did not always train employees to perform assigned duties specifically concerning emergency preparedness. Without training employees on tasks they must complete during an emergency, Chelsea cannot ensure that all employees are properly prepared to respond to disasters and emergencies, which may jeopardize the safety of veterans and employees at Chelsea in the event of an emergency. “I am confident that the Holyoke and Chelsea Veterans’ Homes are committed to working to ensure that all of our veterans are treated with the dignity, honor, and respect they deserve,” said Auditor DiZoglio. “Both the Holyoke and Chelsea Veterans’ Homes have a noble and worthy mission of providing high-quality personal health care services to Massachusetts veterans. We hope that our audit recommendations are adopted to help ensure that mission is the reality for every veteran relying on these necessary services.” ed to the School Committee next week, with a vote expected at the committee’s February meeting. “This is about listening,” Mayor Keefe said in closing. “We want a solution that makes sense for families today and remains flexible for the future.” ~ REVERE CITY COUNCIL ROUNDUP ~ By The Advocate Gifts for the Library T he City Council approved Chief Financial Officer Richard Viscay’s request to create a gift account for the Revere Public Library. Viscay said the account would allow the library to accept a large donation the Revere Beautification Committee recently made to the library. “My job as the auditor will be to ensure the funds are spent for the betterment of the library,” Viscay told councillors. Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya asked if the money could be used to make the library handicap accessible. Viscay said that as long as it was for used for the enrichment of the library, it could. City Council President Anthony Zambuto asked who would be able to access and spend the money in the gift account. He said that in the past there were problems with such accounts. Viscay said the library director through the board of trustees would be in control of the gift account. Councillors voted to approve the account. High School updates T he City Council supported a motion from Councillorat-Large Michelle Kelley and Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro that Brian Dakin of LeftField meet with the City Council to provide regular updates on the progress of the construction of the new high school. Kelley said residents were confused by the announced delay in More info on Harris Street traffic changes C ouncillors voted in favor of Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro’s motion to have Chief of Planning and Community Development Tom Skwierawski meet with the City Council to present and discuss everything related to the Harris Street redesign and traffic changes. Several Councillors suggested the changes being made are safety risks. Fix the streetlights C ouncillor-at-Large Joanne McKenna and Ward 1 Councillor James Mercurio are asking that the Department of Conservation & Recreation repair the streetlights on Winthrop Parkway along Short Beach. The lights were destroyed months ago during motor vehicle accidents and have not been repaired. McKenna said the area is dark and hazardous. McKenna also suggested that the City Council should request a representative from National Grid to meet with the City Council to explain why so many streetlights in the city have not been repaired. The Councillors supported the motion. The Parkway’s pothole problem C ouncillors McKenna and Mercurio filed an additional motion that MassDOT RCCR | SEE Page 13 PLEASANT ST. TAX 175 Pleasant Street, Malden Specializing in Personal Income Tax Preparation Starting at $90. Call: (781) 324-6195 the opening of the school, and she said Dakin would be able to provide the latest and most accurate information on the project.

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