Page 2 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2023 Need a hall for your special event? The Schiavo Club, located at 71 Tileston Street, Everett is available for your Birthdays, Anniversaries, Sweet 16 parties and more? Call Dennis at (857) 249-7882 for details. ANGELO’S FULL SERVICE 1978-2023 Celebrating 45 Years in Business! s! Regular Unleaded $3.359 MidUnleaded $3.739 Super $3.989 Diesel Fuel $3.739 Heating Oil at the Pump $4.759 $2.99 9 DEF HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) DEF Available by Pump! Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN A A Hours. Mon.-Wed. 6AM - 6PM / Thurs. & Fri. 6AM - 7PM / Sat. 7AM / Sun. 9AM-5PM Acting Mayor Keefe Presents FY2024 Budget Investments in public safety, public works highlight budget that refl ects City’s strong fi nancial standing R EVERE, MA – Acting Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. this month submitted the Fiscal Year 2024 budget to the City Council, highlighting investments in public safety and public works while focused on a continuation of initiatives that benefi t the city’s residents and businesses, all in balance with the city’s fi nancial capacity. Keefe, who as City Council President became Acting Mayor in April, worked closely with Chief Financial Offi cer Richard Viscay to produce a comprehensive operating budget that maintains vital city services across the entire scope of municipal government. “The budget we’ve proposed to the City Council is responsible, balanced, and continues initiatives that benefi t all Revere residents, employees, and business owners,” said Acting Mayor Keefe. “Most important, the budget reOur 50th Anniversary Dan - 1972 We Sell Cigars & Accessories! 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He emphasized initiatives that increase the City’s public safety force, including: • Hiring eleven new fi refi ghters, fully budgeted for FY2023, increasing total staffi ng to 119; • Breaking ground and beginning construction of the new Alden A. Mills Point of Pines Fire Station, with a contract signed and construction beginning this summer; • Hiring fi ve new police offi cers budgeted for FY2024, increasing total staffi ng to 115; • Acquiring new fi re and police equipment that prepares our public safety personnel for emergency operations. Public Works Acting Mayor Keefe cited infrastructure and public works objectives as another priority. The proposed FY24 budget addresses this priority by: • Construction of a state-ofthe-art DPW facility on schedule to open late summer/ early fall of 2023; • Fulfi lling obligations of the FY 2023 labor contract, creating a general foreman position as well as two lead supervisors for AFSCME Local 880 (one for DPW general and one for DPW water/sewer); • Investing in public works projects such as sidewalk and paving projects as the city continues a long-term approach to improvements in vehicular and pedestrian access throughout the city. Health and Human Services Acting Mayor Keefe noted that public health concerns have shifted from the Covid-19 worries to broader public health BUDGET | FROM Page 1 Michael Hinojosa, director of the Parks and Recreation Department explained the city was merging his department and the Travel and Tourism Department. But city councillors focused their questions on the Haas Health and Wellness Center set to open toward the end of the summer. Visconti asked if the center will be able to cover its budget with membership fees. Hinojosa said the city is hoping the center will take in issues. Accordingly, the new budget addresses operational changes within the Public Health structure. This includes, primarily: • Absorbing the Community Engagement and SUDHI Departments into the Public Health’s budget to create a streamlined organizational structure with program managers and staff reporting directly to the Chief of Health and Human Services. Culture and Recreation Citing the importance of cultural and recreational opportunities as a primary component of quality of life in the city, Acting Mayor Keefe touted Revere’s Offi ce of Talent and Culture, the Next Stop Revere Tourism Offi ce, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. “We will continue to deliver professional events, programming, and activities to all Revere residents and visitors,” Keefe said. In the proposed FY24 budget, the Travel and Tourism Department will merge with Revere Parks and Recreation with operational funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Culture and recreation will: • Increase funding for the Revere Public Library, to ensure proper staffi ng and operational needs to ensure compliance with the Commonwealth’s Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) that allows the Revere Public Library to be part of the NOBLE network and all its resources; and funding an operating “Bookmobile” to bring library access to all neighborhoods of Revere; • Expand the Recreation Department’s aquatics program by establishing a departmental revolving fund that will cover all operational costs via user fees; • Renovate the Haas Health and Wellness Center with an anticipated opening of September 2023 (ARPA funded). $1 million a year for memberships and special programs. Councillors did express some concerns about the building and the amount of rent the city was paying for it. School Superintendent Diane Kelly gave a brief presentation of the School Department’s $124 million budget. Kelly explained the benefits of diff erent channels of state and federal funding and how the department was tucking away funds to keep staff on board once the grant funding dries up. Prices subject to change FLEET
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