MASK UP AND STAY SAFE ALL SUMMER! Vol.29, No.31 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net Free Every Friday Mayor’s appointment to head Human Rights Commission defeated by City Council Advocate Staff Report O n Monday night, the City Council voted, 9-2, against confirming Revere’s Healthy Community Initiatives Director, Dimple Rana, as the Executive Director of Revere’s reinstated Human Rights Commission. The vote marked the conclusion of a contentious, monthslong debate over Rana’s nomination that attracted regional media attention and revealed deep fi ssures between the City Council and the Mayor’s Offi ce. Mayor Brian Arrigo began the City Council’s Appointments Sub-Committee Meeting by decrying what he alleged was a lack of civility and poor treatment of Rana throughout the confi rmation process. He stated, “I’m incensed. I’m embarrassed. I’m disappointed by some of the things that I’ve read and heard in my conversations over the past few weeks regarding my appointment of Dimple Rana.” He compared the name-calling of Rana to the struggles faced by Thomas Menino, the fi rst Italian-American Mayor of Boston, and the animosity surrounding the 2004 debate over gay marriage in Massachusetts. Following the historic vote by the Revere School Committee the week before establishing an Equity Advisory Board for educational issues, Arrigo cautioned that “History will have its eyes on all of you – this is an infl ection point for our City.” City Council members had equally sharp criticism for Mayor Arrigo. City Council President and Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe, Jr. remarked, “The City Council has voted three times since 2014 in favor of reestablishing the Commission. […] It’s taken fi ve years to fi nd one candidate. Not one other person was interviewed.” He continued, “Clearly, [Mayor Arrigo] has felt this is not high on the priority list.” Other councillors, including Councillor-at-Large Gerry Visconti, argued that the City Council had been unfairly criticized by constituents and regional media outlets, including The Boston Globe. Appointments Sub-Committee Chair and Ward 3 Councillor Arthur Guinasso applauded his colleagues “for the courageousness of [their] eff orts” and echoed the complaint that the City Council had “been criticized and unjustly so.” The nine councillors opposing Rana’s appointment off ered justifi cations ranging from constituent concerns to outright denunciations of Rana’s character based on personal interactions. Councillor-at-Large Jessica Giannino stated that while she believes Rana should serve on the Human Rights Commission, she does “not believe that [Rana] has the qualifi cations to serve as an executive director.” Ward 1 Councillor Joanne VOTED | SEE PAGE 16 ALL IN BLUE: Revere resident Allan Pechner holds a SUPPORT REVERE POLICE sign with Police Chief David Callahan’s face as he holds the American fl ag during the Back the Blue rally in front of city hall Monday evening. See pages 10 & 11 for photo highlights. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) Necco building reopens as Amazon delivery station By Christopher Roberson T he 830,000-square-foot building on American Legion Highway that once housed the New England Confectionery Company (Necco), is bustling once again, this time with approximately 200 Amazon employees. The building, which sits on a 50-acre parcel, is being leased by Amazon and will serve as a delivery station for the company’s larger distribution centers. The site’s opening has made Amazon the largest employer in Revere. Necco had previously been the largest employer in the oceanfront city before suddenly closing its doors in September 2018. In April 2017, Mayor Brian Arrigo opened a dialogue with property owners Atlantic Management and VMD Companies about the future use of the building. He also spearheaded zoning regulations that would only allow “advanced commercial activity” at the site. “This is a leap into Revere’s future as a strong, modernized and prosperous city,” said Arrigo. “Amazon’s investment in our community will invigorate the local economy and promote Revere as a place where prominent, innovation-driven businesses are welcome and can thrive.” Atlantic Management President/CEO Joseph Zink said he was impressed with Arrigo’s determination to bring Amazon to Revere. “The Mayor’s Offi ce, his Economic Development staff and the City Council, particularly Ward Councilor John Powers, who was adamant about keeping the Necco site as commercial property, were essential in working with Amazon and bringing assurances that Revere would be a long-term home for the company and its employees,” he said. VMD Companies Managing Director/Founder James Vitas II shared Zink’s sentiments. “Mayor Arrigo was hyper focused on increasing employment with smart economic growth policies,” he said. “This is a big win for Revere and the region.” As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts has been pelted by an unemployment rate of 17.4 percent – the highest in the nation. However, Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo said the arrival of Amazon will provide signifi cant relief to the city’s parched economy. 781-286-8500 Friday, July 31, 2020 Revere Backs the Blue $1.59 GALLON We accept: MasterCard * Visa * & Discover Price Subject to Change without notice 100 Gal. Min. 24 Hr. Service 781-286-2602
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