[Mark Rumley]: We have with us this afternoon State Senator Patricia Jalen, Sheriff Peter Katushin. Please be seated. State Representatives Paul Donato, Sean Garbani, and Christine Barber. We have Pat Jalen's been announced. Yes, come on in. We also have with us this afternoon, Mayor-elect Stephanie Muccini-Burke. and Medford City Councilors, Adam Knight, Richard Cargill. and members of the Midship School Committee, John Falco, David George Stout, Marlene Sterling, Erin DiBenedetto, and my wife, Ann Marie. Now, before I introduce the mayor and the others, the reason that this looked a little disjointed is because I was going to shake things up. But it didn't work out that way. So you'll have to forgive me. But I'm going to do it now. Because I thought that in almost every event of this kind, what we've heard in the past is the elected officials invited name first, and then That's the end of it. Well, I'm going to change tradition a little bit because a good friend of mine whom I miss so much said just once in his life, he would like to have heard others named at events like this. Today's the day. The first group, and I'm not going to name the names, I'm just going to talk about the group. The first group is the foundation or cornerstone of government. They work where the rubber meets the road. They're often the first faces that people will see when they come into City Hall, the school department, the library, the council on aging, or the public safety departments. And they're usually the first voices you'll hear on the telephone when you call these places. They serve the people of Medford with humility and dignity, My friends, I'm referring to the members of our clerical staff, the secretaries, and administrative assistants. Next, I'd like to acknowledge those people who shape our young people. They encourage them to dream and to achieve, and I'm talking about our teachers, our teachers' age, coaches, and instructors in the Medford Public Schools. protect us day in and day out. Their hours of service are the same as the number of hours in the day. Now this isn't the only guy that I'm talking about. They'll come up in a second. I'm talking about the members of our police and fire departments It wouldn't be complete without pointing to those who keep our municipal services running and they do so many things that they can't easily be listed. They do it in the heat of July and the freezing temperatures of the winter. The members of our Department of Public Works. We also need to acknowledge and we can't forget those residents who take the time out of their lives to serve the city by accepting appointments to our various boards and commissions. They're saying yes to service is vital to the proper workings of government. I ask that you acknowledge the members of our many boards and commissions. The next group I ask you, and we're getting towards the end, the next group that I ask you to acknowledge, the public doesn't always understand fully the demands that are placed on this group, but I have observed this group for over 30 years, and I can best describe them as creative leaders. Their work is characterized by honesty, strength, and professionalism. I am honored to work in collaboration with them every single day, and I am blessed to call each of them my friend. And I'm talking, of course, about my colleagues, the department heads at City Hall. One more program. I added this this morning. Before I ask Mayor McGlynn and the others to come in, I want to respectfully acknowledge all those people who ran for public office, especially this year, the ones that had the courage to put their hat in the ring, whether they won or they didn't win, because their participation keeps the democratic process vibrant and alive for all those who chose to run for public office. I think I've kept the mayor waiting long enough. So, I would ask you all, as you have, to please rise and welcome Mayor Michael J. McGlynn, Mrs. Sheila McGlynn, escorted by Romeo Roberts, Sean Freeman, Geshe Tenley, Roy Nelson, Romeo Robbins, a fifth grader at the Andrews Middle School. and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Romeo is a dear friend of Mayor McGlynn. He's from Antigua, and he keeps the mayor posted about the condition of the beaches in the Caribbean. I would now like to welcome Renise King, the 2011 Boston Music Award winner for Gospel Inspirational Artist of the Year, and a featured performer for the Boston Parks. Renise also serves as musical director at the Waymark Seventh Day Adventist Church in Dorchester, And she is the director of the Honor Union Choir and associate director of music at the United Methodist Church in Boston.
[Unidentified]: And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. As we gather ourselves in silence,
[Mark Rumley]: And I ask Reverend Noah Evans, the pastor of the Grace Episcopal Church, to deliver the invocation.
[Noah Evans]: Loving God, in the scriptures you say, seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you, and pray to the Lord on his behalf. for in its welfare you find your welfare. Behold and visit, we pray, the cities of the earth, especially Medford, this our home. Renew the ties of mutual regard which form our civic life. Send us honest and able leaders. Enable us to eliminate poverty, prejudice, and oppression, that peace may prevail with righteousness and justice of order. and that men and women from different cultures and with differing talents may find with one another the fulfillment of their humanity. And today, especially, bless our mayor, Michael. Bless him for his many years of commitment and service to our city and community. Help him to know your gratitude and our gratitude for all he has done and accomplished. We ask this through our one holy and living God. Amen.
[Mark Rumley]: I'm getting my direction from the mayor right behind me. It's not the first time, I'm sure. Ladies and gentlemen, I've known Michael McGlynn for many years, long before he was elected mayor of our city, going all the way back to high school days. So there's much that I can say about him, but as is always the case, It is his family that knows him best. And if they were behind this microphone, they would say that he is a good son, a caring brother, a loving husband and father, and an extremely proud grandfather. When his grandchildren are with him in City Hall, it's almost, he beams with joy. Light emanates from every part of his body when he's with his grandchildren. At his core, that is genuinely who Michael McGlynn is. And for 28 years now, by their votes, the people of Medford have said another thing about him, and that is, he's a good man. And I have been privileged to be part of his administration for each of those 28 years. And because of that, I have some insight on why he has been such a good mayor. And the insight that I share with you is this. That for every single day that Michael McGlynn has served the people of Medford as mayor, he has had only one goal. And he has worked towards that goal with kindness, honesty, and vigor. In every meeting that he has had with citizens, in every proposal that he has put forth, and in every project that he has initiated, his goal has been to build a better life for each and every resident of the city of Bedford. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my sincere honor to welcome for his final State of the City Address, Mayor Michael Chamberlain.
[TM-L7tQLt0w_SPEAKER_09]: I have to tell you, I won't miss this. The music, the flag, and good friends. Doesn't get much better than that. Good afternoon. I love hearing the stories from parents whose children have told them, when passing City Hall, that's where Mayim McGlynn lives. And if you ask Sheila, she will probably tell you that that is true. But on January 9th, 1961, I met President John F. Kennedy with my father. It was a day filled with excitement, and the adrenaline was flowing. We arrived home at about 10 p.m., and my father said it was time to go to bed. And I said, Dad, I want to be the barometric. And he said, go to bed, and we'll talk about it tomorrow night. And we did talk every day until January 4th, 1988, when I was sworn in as your mayor. It was a time when the economic conditions in the Commonwealth challenged the well-being of our city. People questioned if their elected officials could maintain the delivery of public services. I believe it is evident that together we have established a responsive government during times of continued economic stress. I have never been paralyzed by conflicting views, nor have I avoided the responsibility of making hard choices. The financial stability of this community is paramount to its future success. My experience has been earned because of the commitment and the support you have shown towards my tenure in public office. For this, Sheila and I are truly grateful. Your friendship guidance, shall never be forgotten. The road has been a very enjoyable one, steeped in hard work, tough decisions, and on occasion, a bit of controversy. But the results have always been rewarding. We have forged partnerships with employees, volunteers, nonprofits, elected officials, the business community, and the residents of our great city. As we look back on what we have accomplished, It seems so simple, yet every program, every bit of construction or reconstruction was met with some type of opposition. However, we continue to forge ahead as a team for the public good. Three examples of this team effort include Rivers Edge, Station Landing, and the Old Mosque site. The Rivers Edge development in Wellington was a Bronzeville site. in dire need of rehabilitation. The area had been the site where trash would be placed on a barge on the Malden River, floated to Boston Harbor, torched, and dumped in the water. It was a place where the orange-blue-red water, full of toxins, flowed. It was a site where businesses freely dumped their waste into the ground or the river, Because until the early 70s, there was no Environmental Protection Agency. The stench when the earth was moved would make you nauseous. Working together, We remediated it into a site and a parcel that now offers luxury housing with an affordable component. Created hundreds of construction and permanent jobs. Companies that moved in include the Marriott Corporation, Cogenica from Spain, Lab Think from China. It quadrupled the amount of tax dollars that we were previously getting. A boathouse was built here with college and high school teams hosting regattas, and spectators lining the river to cheer on their favorite teams. Medford Heights crew teams have excelled in many competitions. Station Landing is the site where the backside of the property had been seized up. We worked with National Development to remediate the waste and create a transit-oriented development. The revenues from the building permits and linkage payments helped to offset lost revenues during the recession. We created jobs, housing opportunities, and increased tax revenues dramatically. Today, Station Landing is our number one employer in the city of Medford. The Old Marsh site, adjacent to Hormel Stadium, was also a bronze field. We worked with the Building the Future Committee, the Racial Balance Committee, the Reuse Committee, and many more to look at the possibility of a new configuration for schools on that site. It was controversial, and it had many moving parts. After 150 public meetings and hearings, we reached a consensus to build. We worked with the state to remediate the area. secured our approval of a 90% reimbursement for the construction costs, and purchased the 47.9 acres from the state for $1. We secured a million dollar grant to build Mr. Grimm and Ben Pocky, including a canoe launch, seeding areas, pathways, and many plantings. We added an outdoor stream harking rink, new soccer fields, little league fields, community gardens, and two new awesome schools, a wind turbine, a stadium seating, a track, and a turf field. We took over the management of La Conte Rink and resurfaced the stadium's parking lot. When we finished building all of the new schools and selling the old ones, we actually made money. Together, we remediated and recycled all three sites. They now offer us economic, environmental, recreation, and educational opportunities. In recent years, articles in the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and Menford Real Estate website have shown Menford to be among the best places to live, starting out. They describe it as Menford, a Mecca for young urban buyers, offering open space, a happening restaurant scene, plus two new waterfront Redfin Center of Medford, a highly desirable neighborhood with an easy commute to Boston. It has a very suburban atmosphere with great parks. The third phase of Bird's Edge development includes a mixed-use structure with apartments, commercial, and restaurant space, as well as an affordable housing component to accommodate all of those new millennials. Five Cabin Road is a project that will complete the final build-out of the Wellington Business Center, a residential development connections to the Malden River, a canoe lodge, and easy access to the Wellington Orange Line and affordable units. The city is working with Black Cross Development on the construction of a transit-oriented mixed-use, mixed-housing development adjacent to the proposed Greenline Station at Ball Square. A 152-room A.C. Marion Hotel completes the final phase of the station landing buildup, the first transit-oriented development in the Commonwealth. The A.C. Hotel in Medford is the first to be built on the East Coast. Criterion development has completed. 163-unit leisure apartment dwelling, the Lumiere, has begun the transformation of the riverside industrial area into a transit-oriented use area. The Meadow Glen Mall has been permanent for renovations of 60,000 square feet. Marshals and coals will continue, and they will welcome new tenants, including waiters. Discussions have begun with the city for hire and better use of shore. Dutch University has undertaken considerable amount of development. In addition to Anderson Hall, an energy plant, and a multi-million dollar renovation of 574 Boston Avenue for classrooms, lab space, and yet another restaurant. In the last few weeks, Medford Square has witnessed Gusto Italia, and the Chicken and Rice Guys. And a former law office is currently being renovated into medical space. Other restaurants opening this past week include Tasty on the Hill, Panera, Noodles, and Company. And next week, Smashburger. Permanent and linkage fees collected over the last 24 months. totaled over $6 million, and over the next 24 months had the potential of an additional $6 million. Our public safety sector remained strong. March 9th of 2014, six new police officers were appointed and six new officers in 2015. Over the past 18 months, nine new cruisers and five new Holley Davidson motorcycles have been purchased. We are in the process of hiring eight new firefighters. we have purchased two new Pierce fire pumpers, turnout gear, and boots, and completed the $2.3 million renovation to our fire stations. To help us in the battle against substance use disorder, we created and funded a new position. The director will work on prevention, intervention, and support with individuals, families, school, and the community at large. In 2014 and 2015, We completed handicap accessibility improvements to Barry Hickey and Morrison Parks. At Columbus, we rebuilt the girls' softball field with all of the amenities. McNally and Lagoon Parks received major upgrades as well. All parks totaled $2.2 million in state, federal, and municipal funds. The Crystal Campbell Peace Garden will be completed in June of 2016. A total cost of $1,268,000. grants, goodwill, and compassion. We negotiated an agreement with Tufts to create a neighborhood improvement fund in the amount of $525,000 and a yearly payment in lieu of taxes for a future building above the new T Station at College and Boston Avenue. Medford High School and Medford Vocational School were awarded a 10-year reaccreditation They were also designated as level one schools under the Department of Secondary Education Accountability System, the highest rating attainable. We worked together to produce $3.3 million of a technology upgrade. We renovated the Olympic-sized pool and worked with the state, who paid 59% of the $12 million cost to build and renovate 17 new science laboratories at Medford High School. Our class sizes are excellent. Our athletes have some of the best facilities in the region. We offer extensive after-school programs, all while maintaining a comprehensive curriculum, which includes arts, music, and advanced placement programs. This year, we opened our new Department of Public Works building, replacing the 1930s WPA project. which now offers a safer work environment and better opportunities for the DPW employees to do their job. We have held golf tournaments, state dinners, built public and private partnerships, and accepted donations to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to build the finest veteran monuments in the commonwealth to honor the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans. We have bonded for nearly $30 million in the last couple of years. Our rating is still strong and our indebtedness is still low. To answer the question, what is the state of our city? I'm here to tell you it is excellent. At the start of the recession, Richard Lee and I made a commitment to raise our reserves in order to fight the ills of recessionary times off in the future. I am excited to announce that our reserves continue to grow. And as of June 30, the sale of real estate hit $400,000 in the account. The water and sewer retained earnings, $7.7 million. Linkage funds, $1.827 million. free cash, $9.873 million. Our negotiated agreement with the casinos brings in $1 million yearly. This represents over $20 million in reserve. In addition, the Community Preservation Act could provide up to $6 million over five years. And we did it together during tough fiscal times. I have often stated that there will be no retreat from excellence, no acceptance of mediocrity, and no compromise of the public good. Now is the time to move the equivalent dollar amount of 5% of our operating budget from our reserves into the stabilization account. and we will become an even stronger community fiscally, yet still have significant reserves and a strong forecast for future growth. I've always said that the two things that I have enjoyed most while serving as mayor are traveling to the schools to speak to the students about their ideas for the city's future. Topics have ranged from designing products to discussing government itself. The other is having the opportunity to worship in every church and temple in this community. Methodist clergy are a tight-knit group. They minister and worship together. That is healthy because it allows congregants and parishioners the opportunity to worship with members of other churches, to better understand one another, in our community. Diversity grows every day when people from different countries and different faiths come together, and this only makes us stronger as a community. I love this job as much today as I did the first day that I was sworn in. I love the veterans' ceremonies, the parades, the community days, the carnivals, the senior picnics, the Boston Pops, the Mount Rushmore flag, the Black Hawk helicopter, the 105-millimeter howitzers, and even the fireworks. But not as much as I love each and every one of you.
[SPEAKER_03]: Isn't it a blast?
[TM-L7tQLt0w_SPEAKER_09]: All right, I have an opportunity to do a few introductions now. The first group I want to introduce is a group who has been so loyal and faithful, not only to me, but to the entire city. And they're a group who, on occasion, are picked on by others. And they have never paid any attention to it, they've just gone forward and they've done their job. And that's the staff in the office. So, look around here. You think I had a shot in the office? All women. First of all, I will start with Richie Lee, who was the last city manager during the city. And Richie was a person who was low-key, had a dry sense of humor, but was very funny. And he was very bright. And he did a great job on the buddies and the personal matters for a long time before his passing. And he's represented here by his wife, Sherry Sherry. And the other writers were Fran and Marilyn Cronin, and Marilyn was a very hard-working individual, a good friend of all of us, and she is no longer with us. But Fran Ginetti is, and she was accompanied by Maureen Shea. Here's what happened with the two anemones. I was there, it was probably around March 15th, we were at the IFA March, and Frank came in the office one day and she said to me, I'll give you a little bit of that song, Mr. Big Shot, Who Do You Think You Are? And she said, who do you think you are? And I said, what do you mean? And she said, These people, they don't even know you. You haven't taken the time to go out and to meet them. I said, I've got a job to do. I'm straightening the city out. And she said, well, go straighten it out by signing to get to know the people who work for you, what their abilities are, and move forward. Then, I don't know this, but I think she must have gone and talked to Bob O'Brien, who was the Commissioner of Public Works at the time. Because he walked in 10 minutes later, and he looked at me and he said, man, you have to earn that respect in the job you do as a man. So friends... I always tell people the best advice I got in all those years in the office. Now, one day Maureen comes in and she said, you're not going to believe this, Matt Masterson is outside. Now, I know my calories. So I said, Bat Masterson, this is a big deal. So I looked up and I said, that's not Bat Masterson, that's Wyatt Earp. So it wasn't Gene Barry, it was Jewel Bryant, but Wyatt Earp was there. You can't ask him to speak at a conference up at Tufts. And you had kids who were probably 16, 17, 18 years of age. So I went up there, and I've got to tell you, Wyatt was one of my guys from the time I was a little guy. The first thing I did was I sang the wider up song. There's 400 kids in this auditorium. When I finished, they're all staring at me with a blank face.
[Unidentified]: They didn't even know what it was. Oh, Stephanie Berwick.
[TM-L7tQLt0w_SPEAKER_09]: And I can tell you why she had the job. And I told this story one day. I said, because you're the only person when Richie and I try to trick you on the budgets, you look and you balance every account. No one else does that. They say, cut a million out. Cut a million out of me. She looked at every line item, and she knew where we were hiding the money. So we happened to do a bottle project. And I always turned to Richie and said, Richie, did you make a mistake? Richie said, I guess I did. Stephanie, thank you for your honor. And Luis Cowan, who is now the new budget director, has done a great job with all the personnel matters and the budgets, as you can see, because between the both of them, we're in great shape. Then there was Adeline, this is a couple of the problem. And Addie, this is an out of the office story. One day I'm over at her house and we're gonna have a pasta dinner and she forgot one of the ingredients. And this is how she is in the office too. Very pushy, tells you what to do. So she said to me, come over here to the stove, just come over here. I said, what? She said, keep stirring the sauce. I said, how long should I stir it? Stir it. She said, don't stop until I get back. She was gone for 25 minutes. I was gone for a couple of ton or whatever that is. Very loyal, great person. Lisa Vangelista, I'm a state representative here. She was my secretary back then when we were in the statehouse. And this young student from the Northeast pushed her way into the office and said, I want to be your intern. I want to work here. And so we hired her. And she did a great job as an intern. but the job she's done here for the city of Medford is unbelievable. I'm the person who walks in, gets the credit for everything that happens. She's the person who sweats here all night and all week to make sure all the details are together. She does yell at me in private because of some of the things that I get her into, but she does an excellent job and I thank her for it. And then we have Linda Colletti. And Linda Colletti used to work upstairs. She was in Public Works. And here's my summation of Linda Colletti. I asked her for an hour one day, and I said, Linda, would you like to work in this office? And she said, yes, I think I would. I said, but the problem is, you're never going to get rich in public service, and it doesn't pay a lot of money. Any other employees out there listening, pay attention to this. He said, I don't care about the money, but I know I can help more people by working in this office, in our community. Linda, thank you very much. The Commander in Chief. For 39 years. I can probably say this publicly, right? Mary's referred to in City Hall as my work wife. And I have my home wife. And there are a lot of similarities between the two. They both have this thing that when you, they say, would you do something? You say, yes, let me go over and I'll start on it. And as you're trying to do that, they give you four other things to do. But Mary has been with me for 39 years, and she's the person who would, and I know you won't believe this, but sometimes when people come into the office and they're upset, and maybe they use a language that they shouldn't, and they're yelling and screaming, Mary would say, are you having a bad date, dear? But she would sit them down, and the next thing you know, I had this very quiet, relaxed person come in. Plus, the other thing she always said was, I said, stop saying that. She said, don't worry, he'll fix it for you. I'd like to take a minute to introduce my family. I'm the son of a man, and obviously I have my own children, so I know a little of what they've gone through. None of them ever remember me not being in elective office. And for those of us in elective office, the pressures on your children are immense. Everybody always has something to say. Everybody always knows that they can get something done if they just go and pressure the kids to talk to the father to make sure that it happens. Those type of people really don't understand anything about it. But I am so very proud of the way and the manner in which they've always conducted themselves, what they have achieved in life. Kathleen, Jennifer, and Amanda. I've heard people say that you're lucky if you have a good son-in-law. Well, I'm fortunate. I have two. Aaron and Bill have always been there for the family, for my daughters, for my grandchildren. And they're great people, too. I mean, you get to know them. It took me a little while to get to know Aaron. I may have trouble here, but, and I'm working on a good son-in-law.
[SPEAKER_03]: That is Pat Michael Collins.
[TM-L7tQLt0w_SPEAKER_09]: And Pat's a great guy. Knows a lot about sports. And for the first, I don't know, for the first two years, I was only allowed to call him PMC. They wouldn't even tell me his name. So one night, I thought I'd take a shot. We were at dinner, everyone was sitting around the table, and I said, show them Paul and Michael. Amanda says, Dad, his name is Pat. And you heard my brother referring to the five grandchildren. Cameron, Cameron, give me a wave, brother. And Bambi Nora is asleep in the mayor's office. And just one other person that I would like to recognize, and that's our city solicitor, Mike Brumley, for the great friendship that we have had over the years. I don't want to ruin his image, but I want to tell you a secret. He acts like a tough guy, but he's a cream puff. He's one of the most caring, compassionate people you'll ever meet, and he'll always reach out to do whatever he can for you. Think about it. He's not only a solicitor, but he's a deacon of the church, too. Thank you to the whole night band. Thank you to Manish King.
[Unidentified]: You're white.
[TM-L7tQLt0w_SPEAKER_09]: Okay, I think I did this on January 4th, 1988. Well, more things change the more you're in the same. Okay, so I have one more thing I'd like to do. How about Sheila? I think some of you know the story that Shel and I grew up next door to each other. We dated for a decade. They kept sending me further away to school after school, so we couldn't get married. We were in high school to college. My senior year was when I graduated. We were married and had a beautiful family. And one day I went to her and I said, Shel, I think I'd like to run for mayor. And she said, well, how long do you think you'd like to do that? And I said, I don't know, two years. In my legislative time, in my mayoral time, never once has she ever complained. She is my sister. Honey, watch how mature I become over the years. I love you, honey. And my brothers and sisters, Jackie, Dickie, Karen, Bernadette, and Kevin. Thank you for being here, all my aunts and uncles.
[Mark Rumley]: You never like following him. right now. The Medford Alumni Band of America the Beautiful. And now for the benediction, I invite up someone that's become a good friend of mine through the mayor, and that is Geshe Teng. Geshe?
[SPEAKER_01]: I also, I would like to say, all my family members in Manful City is really my family. Like my dad, mayor. He cares our city, his activities. No one, I believe, is a very good person. I would like to say, thank all the Officials, guests, friends, thank you. Also, our Tibetan tradition, whenever we do some things, start, we do also auspicious words today. Also when we dance, also we do auspicious words. And also, we going to second stop. And I would like to, he did two, eight years serve our family. I would like to do auspicious purposes. And meaning is auspicious morning, auspicious day, auspicious night. I'm going to do Tibetan. I'm sorry my English is very poor. I'll do Tibetan.
[Mark Rumley]: to do it again now that you said something. I want to make sure that I gave this introduction earlier, but I'm pretty sure I did. Our district attorney is with us, Marion Ryan. And Reneece King is still with us. And Reneece King will be accompanied by the medical alumni band, God Bless America. Thank you, Denise, and thank you very much once again to the Medford Alumni Band.
[Unidentified]: Okay.
[Mark Rumley]: Thank you again to the men from the 1-9 team. Now, almost done. A couple of things. First, I would ask that you remain in your seats while the people behind the rail are able to get out. I think that's a bit cumbersome, as you can see with all of you here today. And it's wonderful that way. So we ask that you remain seated while those behind the rail have exited. And immediately following this ceremony, all are welcome to join Ma'am McGlynn, Sheila, and the McGlynn family at a farewell reception at Monfield Plaza, 54 Monfield Avenue in Stoneham, and we thank you.