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RE REVERE E E V R Vol. 29, No.8 -FREEREE D Dear Family, Friends and Neighbors: It is with mixed emotions that I announce I have decided to not seek re-election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in the fall of 2020. I have given it a lot of thought, and have not come to this decision lightly. I fi rst started working in the State House thirty-one years ago. When I began my career in public service, Ronald Reagan was President, a gallon of gas was $1.12 and the medium household income was $37,000. As a legislative staff er in 1989, I never envisioned that twentyfi ve years later, I would run for elected offi ce myself. And yet in March of 2014, I did just that. At age 67, I threw my name into the mix in a special election and with the help and support of so many friends and family, I won. www.advocatenews.net City Treasurer George Anzuoni announce retirement O ATE CAT CAT Free Every Friday Rep. RoseLee Vincent announces she will not seek re-election to Mass. House of Representatives Over these past six years, I have been so fortunate to represent the people of Sixteenth Suff olk District. It has truly been my honor to serve you, the people of Revere, Chelsea and Saugus as your State Representative, and I am forever grateful to you for your love, support and friendship over the years – but particularly throughout these last six years. You are the reason I got here. You are the reason I have stayed here. And you are the reason that leaving here is so bittersweet. Thank you to my colleagues in government who have helped guide me, and whose friendship I deeply appreciate. First and foremost, to Speaker of the House Bob DeLeo – thank you for the confidence you have placed in me during my time in the House. As a leader, you have shown me what it means City investigates unsanitary conditions at Lee’s Trailer Park, Majestic Motors By Tara Vocino A n investigation is reportedly underway at Majestic Motors and Sullivan Tire Commercial Truck Center after alleged building and health code violations, including allegedly operating a Class II business without a license, reportedly improper storage of fl ammables and alleged unsanitary conditions. City Clerk Ashley Melnik said Tuesday that she couldn’t fi nd any responsive documents regarding an active Class II license at 14 Furlong Drive. “Out of sight, out of mind,” said Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna, who put forth a motion earlier this month during a City Council meeting. “It’s heavily littered with 60 cars, auto part debris, and neighbors have been seeing customers test driving and employees selling unregistered cars.” McKenna said Majestic Motors was fined two and a half years ago for multiple violations, cleaned up their propJoanne McKenna Ward 1 Councillor erty, but now they’re back to where they started. Ward 5 Councillor John Powers suggested fi ning the property the maximum, which is approximately $500 a day, until it’s cleaned up. McKenna said she saw tires dumped into the creek and smashed cars, and noted the area is an eyesore – she called Furlong Drive “the gateway to Revere.” PARK | SEE PAGE 4 617-387-2200 Friday, February 21, 2020 Concerns surface about morale in city schools D’Ambrosio: Disciplinary action against teachers too harsh By Barbara Taormina T RoseLee Vincent State Representative to serve the district we share. As a friend you have off ered sound counsel, a guiding hand and years of great memories. To my friends Senator Boncore, Representative Ryan, Senator DiDomenico, Senator Crighton, Representative Wong and Mayor Arrigo – thank you for the team effort, hard work and the true collaboration over these years. Additionally, a special thank you to former Revere Mayors Tom Ambrosino and Dan Rizzo for your friendship and support – I am forever grateful to you both. To my legislative aide, Councilor Ricky Serino who does an amazing job in my offi ce and is a great advocate for the city of Revere – thank you from the bottom of my heart. As I am winding down my political career, you are beginning yours. I will watch with pride as you soar in the next chapters of your life. To my family – especially my husband Richie, and my daughters Wendy Fox and Robin Ginsberg – I would not have been successful without your support, encouragement and love. To my fi ve grandchildren – Hallie, Max, Ben, Sam and Zach – you make me proud each day. I hope I have done the same for you. To the entire Vincent Family – most notably our Matriarch Millie Vincent, Georganne and Ron O’Connor, and Bethanne and Joe Cardarelli – you are not just ‘in-laws,’ – you are my friends, and I love you all. Also to Joe Giannino and Jeff Turco, both of whom I consider sons – you have given me much advice, help and love, along this journey VINCENT | SEE PAGE 22 he labor dispute between A. C. Whelan School teachers and the school district’s administration that continues to play out on the city’s main stage has generated a stack of grievances from the Revere Teachers Association, a protest of about 100 people outside a School Committee meeting and plenty of rhetoric. But so far, it’s hasn’t produced any compromises or resolutions and has, according to some, only exacerbated a problem with morale in city schools that that took root before the dispute surfaced. According to Erik Fearing, president of the Revere Teachers Association, the conflict started with 17 teachers who, on one day, did not follow the procedure of recording students who ate breakfast at school. The recording system was approved in 2019 to gather one year of data on the program. But the district carried the system forward to this year despite objections from the union. Fearing said the administration has disciplined the teachers for insubordination but the Revere Teachers Association is challenging that move through the union’s grievance process. “The teachers from Whelan were given unjust and overblown discipline. We’re all fi ghting for them to have these unwarranted punishments rescinded,” he said. School Committee Member Anthony D’Ambrosio is one of the few offi cials who has publicly shared his thoughts on the Whelan teachers. He has been clear about his support for the teachers, but he also feels the situation escalated and became unnecessarily adversarial. And he feels school offi cials need to be focusing on other concerns. “Over the course of the past several months, the issue of teacher morale in our schools has been particularly acute,” he said. “Dozens of parents and teachers have raised their concerns to me. As a School DeAnthony D’Ambrosio School Board Member partment, we need to do a better job communicating with each other, mediating our differences and working together for the betterment of the children of Revere.” Several parents have said the poor morale among teachers is aff ecting the morale of students. Ina Tall does not have a child at Whelan but she’s not surprised that a negative atmosphere is reaching down into classrooms. Another parent feels it is unfair to involve children in a labor dispute. But many parents and residents support the teachers and feel the administration should have found a diff erent way to resolve the confl ict. The information gathered by teachers on the student breakfast is required to maintain the federally funded program. And no one wants to see the breakfast program discontinued. D’Ambrosio called the teachers’ organized rejection of the breakfast count misguided, but he also feels the administration’s disciplinary action against the teachers was much too harsh. And he worries the longer the dispute remains unresolved the more it will corrode the learning environment at Whelan. “The best path forward for our system requires collaboration, compromise and enhanced morale,” he said. SEE PAGE 3

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