THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021 Page 3 City Council backs call for weekend inspectors C By Adam Swift ity Councillors are sick of the constant sawing and banging of weekend and after-hours construction in Revere. On Monday night, the City Council supported a motion by Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna requesting that Mayor Brian Arrigo hire a part-time building inspector to enforce city ordinances on weekends. According to McKenna, most of the illegal construction taking place without permits happens on the weekends when residents know there is no inspector on duty. Money generated from fi nes would fund the position, McKenna said. McKenna’s motion had the universal support of the council. For Ward 3 Councillor Arthur Guinasso, the failure to enforce ordinance violations on weekends has been a thorn in his side during his 32 years on the council. “This is probably the most important motion that can aff ect our city ever, because starts.” Guinasso said the fi nes genJOANNE McKENNA Ward 1 Councillor since I’ve been sitting on the Revere City Council for 32 years; I’ve been saying that there’s an abusive population out there that decides they are going to circumvent the law,” said Guinasso. “Law-abiding citizens living next door suff er the pains of it because they wouldn’t do such a thing. At 12:15 on a Friday, out come the saws and the hammers and whatever and the trucks pull up and construction erated by a weekend inspector could easily cover the cost of the position. “This would do a service to our community to help the law-abiding people,” he said. “You see these people coming from all over, and it’s just getting out of control and we’ve allowed it to take place. When are we going to have the courage to say to these people to stop, this is not right, you are off ending your neighbors, and all of us, and the poor souls who sit there and go by the law?” Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino said he would like to see the motion extended to include part-time building inspectors working on weeknights after business hours. “Councillor Guinasso is right, people don’t care,” said Serino. “They are not abiding by our ordinances and they need to be held accountable for the quality of life for all of us.” Councillor-at-Large George Rotondo said that in addition to enforcement a part-time inMayor and Revere Board of Health announce Mobile May Bringing vaccinations to people where they work and live M ayor Brian Arrigo and the Revere Board of Health announced on Tuesday “Mobile May,” a campaign focused on bringing mobile vaccination clinics to diff erent sectors of the Revere community. Mobile vaccinations have been utilized in Revere since early April when the Revere Board of Health brought their vaccination clinic to Northgate Shopping Center when eligibility opened up for essential employees. As vaccination rates increase, the City of Revere has seen case numbers and deaths drastically decrease. Currently, the seven-day case average is 9.9 – the lowest average since before Columbus Day. Forty-eight percent of Revere residents have received their fi rst dose and 31.2 percent of residents are fully vaccinated. “The most important thing is getting our city vaccinated. Bringing the vaccination clinics to where our residents live and work makes the process more convenient and allows more people to get a vaccine,” said Mayor Brian Arrigo. “Our goal is to reach 70 percent vaccinated by July 4. In order to do so, the Revere Board of Health is constantly thinking of strategic ways to bring clinic opportunities to diff erent neighborhoods, congregations, and communities in the city.” Outreach continues with the Revere COVID ambassadors, who routinely distribute multilingual clinic fl yers to businesses, employees, houses of worship and neighborhoods. The COVID ambassadors provide multilingual support at the Revere Board of Health vaccine clinics and help answer questions at the Revere Vaccine Hotline (781286-8182). In addition, the COVID ambassadors are assisting the Revere Board of Health in door-knocking campaigns and outreach for the Mobile Clinics. The City of Revere also launched its vaccination information page, which includes data, clinic information and a calendar of Mobile May destinations. The fi rst stop on the Mobile May tour is at 139 Shirley Ave. on Saturday, May 8 from 2-6 p.m., where they will be distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The next stop will be at St. Mary’s Church on Sunday, May 9 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. All clinics are open to all Revere residents and employees 18 and older. To view the Mobile May schedule, check out www. revere.org/vaccine. You can organize the calendar for “vaccination events” – more options will become available throughout the month. Currently, Revere residents can receive their vaccination at several diff erent clinics and pharmacies. Residents are urged to sign up with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be notifi ed when they have an appointment available for you at a MassVax site – or call 2-1-1. East Boston Neighborhood Health Center continues to vaccinate at the Wonderland Ballroom; please call 617-568-4870 or visit www.ebnhc.org to sign up for an appointment. spector on the weekends would be another avenue for residents and contractors to obtain building permits and increase revenue for the city in the process. “This is something that is necLawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net 8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Kitchen Hours: Mon-Thurs: 12-10pm Fri-Sat: 12-11pm Sunday: 1pm-10pm Join us this Sunday, May 9th Open at 4:00 PM essary,” said Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito. “You’ll have a resident do illegal building, and before you know it, it sets a trend and it’s like a domino eff ect.” Treat Mom to our Lobster Pie! www.8/10bargrille.com
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