TO THE RESIDENTS OF OUR GREAT TOWN, THE WINTHROP TOWN CHARTER GIVES THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT NOT ONLY THE OBLIGATION, BUT THE GREAT PRIVILEGE AND PLEASURE TO ADDRESS THE TOWN YEARLY IN AN EFFORT TO REFLECT ON THE PAST 12 MONTHS, AS WELL AS CLEARLY DEFINE OUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. NO SUCH ADDRESS COULD BEGIN WITHOUT FIRST OFFERING MY SINCERE THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO ALL OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEIR STAFFS AS WELL AS OUR APPOINTED BOARDS AND COMMITTEES. WITHOUT THEM OUR TOWN COULD NOT FUNCTION. THEY PROVIDE US COMFORT AND SAFETY, THEY EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, THEY KEEP OUR TOWN CLEAN AND INVITING, THEY PROVIDE US WITH ATTRACTIVE AND WELCOMING PARKS AND RECREATION SPACES. THEY MAINTAIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND STREETSCAPES. IN SHORT THEY FACILITATE IN PROVIDING US A COMMUNITY, WHICH I AM EXTREMELY PROUD, APPRECIATIVE, AND HONORED TO CALL HOME.
OVER THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE BEEN QUITE BUSY FOCUSSING ON MANY ITEMS THAT WE HAVE EITHER ENACTED OR HOPE TO ENACT SHORTLY. THESE ITEMS INCLUDE, GFOA BUDGET FORMAT, REVERE STREET TIPS PROJECT, ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, FLOODING ISSUES, NEW WEBSITE, OLD MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE, PROPOSED NEW FIRE STATION OR PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING, VETERANS ROAD FIRE, AND OF COURSE 3A ZONING.
LAST YEAR, FISCAL 24 WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE INCORPORATED THE GFOA BUDGET FORMAT. IT IS EASIER TO NAVIGATE, VERY MUCH TRANSPARENT, AND AND HAS BEEN INSTITUTED RELATIVELY SEAMLESSLY. TONY HAS BROUGHT SO MUCH TO OUR TOWN AND THIS BUDGETING PROCESS IS JUST ANOTHER OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AS WE PREPARE THE FISCAL 25 BUDGET WE WILL ONCE AGAIN BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH BASICALLY WEEKLY MEETINGS OF THE FINANCE COMMISSION WHICH ARE REALLY QUITE EYE OPENING. THEY WILL MEET WITH ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD ALONG WITH MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH THE SCHOOLS. THESE MEETINGS ARE ALL OPEN AND I ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE AND UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS GO. INCLUDING ENTERPRISE FUNDS OUR TOWN BUDGET WILL BE NORTH OF 70 MILLION DOLLARS.
AS THE WEATHER STARTS TO WARM UP SO TO WILL THE REVERE STREET TIPS PROJECT. YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE SOME CONSTRUCTION MOBILIZATION IN THE MCGEES CORNER SECTION WHICH IS WHERE THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN. BUT YOU WILL NOT SEE MUCH DISRUPTION IF ANY UNTIL EARLY MAY. THIS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE COMPLETE DRAINAGE WORK ALONG WITH NEW STREETS, SIDEWALKS, SOME STREETSCAPE, AND A BIKE LANE. THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE MULTIPLE SEASONS TO COMPLETE. THETIPS PROJECT IS NOT A TOWN PROJECT, IT IS A STATE PROJECT, A MASS DOT PROJECT. TONY HAS BEEN ABLE TO COORDINATE WITH THE STATE TO HAVE 2 MEETINGS ENABLING RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, ALONG WITH GETTING ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS RELATED TO SCHOOL OPENING IN SEPTEMBER. THESE MEETINGS ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY MORNING THE 23RD OF MARCH AND TUESDAY NIGHT THE 26TH OF MARCH.
BEFORE THIS PROJECT GETS INTO FULL SWING LATER THIS SPRING YOU WILL ALSO SEE THE FINAL PAVING FOR THE REVERE STREET SECTION FROM CREST AVE TO THE REVERE LINE, ALONG WITH PAVING OF CREST AVE, HIGHLAND, AND GROVERS. THIS SHOULD BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AND BE DONE WITHIN 3 WEEKS.
ANOTHER GOAL OF THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY TONY HAS BEEN THE STAFFING ALONG WITH BRINGING EVERYTHING BACK IN HOUSE AT THE ASSESSORS DEPARTMENT. WITH NEW HIRINGS AND A LITTLE RESHUFFLING, THE ASSESSING OFFICE HAS BEEN ABLE TO FACILITATE IN INCREASING NEW GROWTH NUMBERS TO LEVELS WE HAVE NEVER SEEN. THEIR DILIGENCE AND HARD WORK HAS DEFINITELY SHOWN RESULTS WHICH WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE AS FISCAL 24 ENDS AND FISCAL 25 BEGINS. WE HAVE SEEN BASICALLY A DOUBLING IN NEW GROWTH WHICH HAS ADDED ALMOST $300,000 TO THE INCOME SHEET.
WE MAY NOT HAVE HAD, OR AT LEAST TO THIS POINT, FINGERS CROSSED, A SNOWY WINTER AT ALL, HOWEVER WE HAVE HAD OUR SHARE OF FLOODING, ESPECIALLY IN THE USUAL AREAS, SUCH AS MORTON STREET, TILESTON & GIRDLESTONE, DELBYS CORNER AND THE PICO PARK AREA. WE HAVE INITIATED, WITH A VOTE OF THE COUNCIL TO BEGIN SURVEY WORK AND ENGINEERING FOR THE TILTSTON, GIRDLESTONE AND PICO AREAS. WE ALSO HAVE APPLIED FOR A FEDERAL GRANT FOR $650,000 WHICH WOULD HELP COMPLETE ALL THE ENGINEERING WORK FOR THOSE AREAS. WE ALSO HAVE RECEIVED AN MVP GRANT FOR DESIGN WORK ALONG WITH FEASIBILITY STUDY LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR THE MORTON STREET AREA. MOST LIKELY IT WILL INVOLVED LIVING LEVIS WHICH WILL HELP KEEP THE WATER OUT OF THE AREA.
WE ALSO ARE VERY HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT AFTER MUCH WORK AND DESIGN WE HAVE A NEW TOWN WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING. I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AND NAVIGATE AROUND. IT IS A MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY WEBSITE AND WE ARE ALL HOPING YOU WILL BE PLEASED.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON MULTIPLE FRONTS CONCERNING THE OLD MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE. THEIR WILL BE A MUCH ANTICIPATED PROPOSAL FROM EDGE SPORTS, WHO RESPONDED TO THE RFI. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMING TO PRESENT BY THE END OF APRIL. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING A NEW RINK ALONG WITH A RELATIVELY SMALL 55 AND OVER COMPLEX, KEEPING OPTIONS OPEN.
LAST YEAR WE BROUGHT FORWARD A PLAN FOR A NEW FIRE STATION, WHICH WAS DEFEATED IN NOVEMBER. WE HAVE NOT GIVEN UP THE FIGHT FOR A NEW FIRE STATION AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF A PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING. WE LEARNED MUCH FROM OUR EFFORTS LAST YEAR, AND I BELIEVE THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM WE LEARNED IS THAT THE TOWN DOES SUPPORT BUILDING A NEW FIRE STATION. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT OUR TWO FACILITIES ARE IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION AND THAT WE NEED A NEW STATION ALONG WITH OUR OWN AMBULANCE SERVICE. WE WILL BE REPORTING BACK WITH A PRESENTATION IN SHORT ORDER WITH MULTIPLE OPTIONS, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE ANOTHER BALLOT QUESTION IN THE FALL.
ALSO IN 2023 WE HAD A HORRIFIC FIRE ON VETERANS ROAD. WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY RELOCATED 60 FAMILIES DISPLACED BY THE FIRE, AND I MUST COMMEND TOWN MANAGER MARINO, ALONG WITH THE CLEAR TEAM AND MERIDETH HURLEY. THE TOWN REALLY CAME TOGETHER AND I AM VERY THANKFUL.
I HAVE BEEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR THE TOWN OF WINTHROP FOR 21 YEARS AND ODDLY ENOUGH I HONESTLY DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF A QUOTE UNQUOTE “POLITICIAN”. I BELIEVE YOU NEED TO BE YOURSELF, ESPECIALLY IN A SMALL TOWN. THE JOB OF A LOCALLY ELECTED PERSON IS TO LOOK OUT FOR HIS OR HER TOWN. DO WHAT THEY FEEL IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR TOWN. BE HONEST, DO YOUR HOMEWORK, LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, HELP INFORM THOSE CONSTITUENTS OF THE PLUSES AND MINUSES OF THE ISSUE AND DO WHAT'S BEST. TO ME IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. I SAY THAT AS I GO TO THE NEXT ISSUE, WHICH IS THE HOT TOPIC OF THE YEAR AND THAT'S 3A ZONING. IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED EVERY WHICH WAY, PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED MORE ABOUT ZONING IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THAN THEY HAVE MOST OF THEIR LIVES. BUT IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IT POTENTIALLY AFFECTS EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIVES. IT AFFECTS THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY YOU STRIVE TO BE. IN THIS SITUATION THE STATE IS MANDATING THAT BASICALLY EVERY CITY AND TOWN WITHIN THE 128/495 AREA, EXCEPT BOSTON, ZONE FOR EITHER 5, 10, OR 25% WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES, IN OUR CASE IT IS 10% OR 882 MORE UNITS. THE PURPOSE IS TO CREATE MORE HOUSING AND INCREASE DENSITY. THE REASON IS QUESTIONABLE TO ME. IT IS SET OUT TO BE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL MANDATE WHEN IN MY OPINION IT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE. WINTHROP LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WILL GROW. WE DO IT THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY UNUSED LAND. BUT WE HAVE UNDERSTOOD FOR YEARS THAT WE SHOULD PREPARE OURSELVES FOR WINTHROP'S NEEDS. THIS IS WHY OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS OR SO WE HAVE BEEN WAY AHEAD OF THE STATE. WE HAVE ZONED THE CENTER IN WHAT NOW IS CALLED THE CBD (CENTER BUSINESS DISTRICT), WE HAVE ZONED CERTAIN AREAS IN A WATERFRONT DISTRICT. WE HAVE ZONED SHIRLEY STREET. NONE OF THIS WAS DONE LIGHTLY AND CERTAINLY NONE WAS DONE WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY. THERE WAS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, DEBATES, FORUMS AND SUCH TO COME TO A DECISION THAT WAS BEST FOR WINTHROP'S FUTURE, AND WE DID IT. OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS WE HAVE ZONED FOR WELL OVER 800 UNITS. WE ARE A VERY VERY DENSE COMMUNITY. THE STATE WANTS TO INCREASE DENSITY. THE STATE AVERAGE FOR DENSITY IS 900 PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE. SUFFOLK COUNTY IS THE MOST DENSE COUNTY IN THE STATE WITH A DENSITY OF A LITTLE OVER 6000 PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE. WINTHROP HAS A DENSITY OF A LITTLE OVER 12000 PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HAS 351 CITIES AND TOWNS, AND I SEE WINTHROP AS THE 4TH MOST DENSE, BEHIND SOMERVILLE, CHELSEA & CAMBRIDGE. I WOULD LIKE THE STATE TO BE FAIR AND REASONABLE TO WINTHROP, RECOGNIZE ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN OUR TOWN , SUPPORT THE CITIZENS OF WINTHROP, REALIZE THAT THE STATE AVERAGE OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN A CITY OR TOWN IS OVER 70% AND THAT IN WINTHROP WE ARE ABOUT 36%. WINTHROP HAS DONE EVERYTHING THAT THE STATE IS TRYING TO DO, WE JUST DID IT AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED FOR THAT. I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AS BEST THEY CAN.
IN THE END I AM FOCUSSED, AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, ON WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR TOWN. REGARDLESS OF THE ISSUE, WHETHER IT BE ZONING, INFRASTRUCTURE, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY… WHATEVER THAT ISSUE IS, IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE RIPPLE DOWN EFFECTS AND CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS EFFECTS ON EDUCATION, SPACE IN SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS, TRAFFIC AND SUCH. I FEEL ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL JOBS WE DO AS COUNCILORS IS TO TRY AND BEST EVALUATE THESE CONSEQUENCES AND EFFECTS, EDUCATED THE PUBLIC, AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL HAVE THE BEST POTENTIAL OUTCOMES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
OUR TOWN IS NOT JUST A PLACE ON A MAP; IT'S A LIVING, BREATHING TESTAMENT TO THE STRENGTH, RESILIENCE, AND COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT THAT DEFINE US.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT CHALLENGES EXIST, BUT LET ME ASSURE YOU, THEY ARE STEPPING STONES, NOT STUMBLING BLOCKS. BY FACING THEM HEAD-ON, WITH THE SAME DETERMINATION THAT DEFINE US, WE WILL OVERCOME AND EMERGE EVEN STRONGER.
WE HAVE A UNIQUE BLEND OF BACKGROUNDS, TALENTS, AND PERSPECTIVES THAT I FEEL MAKE OUR TOWN RESILIENT AND DYNAMIC.
AS I CONCLUDE, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO EACH OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR TOWN, FOR MAKING IT A PLACE WE ARE PROUD TO CALL HOME.
MAY OUR TOWN CONTINUE TO THRIVE, AND MAY EACH OF YOU FEEL THE PRIDE THAT COMES FROM BEING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY. THE STATE OF OUR TOWN IS STRONG AND IT IS BECAUSE OF EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU.
MAY GOD BLESS THE TOWN OF WINTHROP
THANK YOU