The Everett City Council voted 9-2 on Monday, March 9 to remove Philip Colameta from the Everett Housing Authority board, acting on a letter from Mayor Robert J. Van Campen that cited no misconduct and said only that “a transition in membership will support renewed engagement and continued public confidence.” Councilors Anthony DiPierro and Katy Rogers voted no. A motion to send the matter to committee first failed 5-6, and a motion to reconsider failed 3-8.
DiPierro argued that state law governing housing authorities allows removal only for inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct, with written charges and a hearing, and that the council and the mayor, then a councilor, had unanimously reappointed Colameta last term. “This is no way to treat a member of this community, nonetheless a former elected official,” he said, and later: “I hear this is over a rumor that the former mayor wants to be the director of housing authority, which couldn’t be further from the truth. And if that’s your motive here, that’s Carlo Derangement Syndrome.”
City Solicitor Jaclyn Munson, in her first appearance before the council, said two statutes apply and both say “may”: the housing authority law with its for-cause process, and Chapter 43, Section 61 of the city charter law, which lets the mayor remove an appointee before the end of a term with majority council approval and no stated reason. “There’s nothing legally wrong with the way that this was done,” she said. Councilor Vivian Nguyen asked whether Everett had ever used the mechanism; Munson said she understood it had not been used much here, “but mayors do do this all of the time.” Councilor Michele Capone recalled that the former mayor added the removal language to the administrative code years ago during a fight over the library trustees.
Councilor Stephanie Martins said the vote was “about change for the housing authority,” which she said has given the council no information and accepted no suggestions during her tenure. Councilor Peter Pietrantonio said the mayor “wants change in the city. This is part of the change. Unfortunately, there’s gonna be casual, friendly fire at somebody.” Rogers said she could not vote to remove someone with no reason in the packet.
Also March 9
- Officer Ryan Gabriel was promoted to sergeant, 11-0, and sworn in.
- The council retained Roselli and Associates as the city’s independent auditor for fiscal 2025 through 2027. Pietrantonio asked for assurance it was “a brand new auditing firm”; the clerk said the last one was CBIZ.
- $100,800 in free cash went to fire department salaries to fund the newly ratified firefighters’ contract, 9-0. A request for $780,000 in free cash to buy a fire apparatus now, which the administration says avoids a 50 percent price increase and a three- to four-year wait, went to Ways and Means.
- National Grid’s petition for underground service to a new apartment building at 530 Second Street, the original Silver Fox site, passed 10-1. Rogers said she will vote against every National Grid petition until the company answers for a Chapter 91 waterfront access violation.
- The council referred Mayor Van Campen’s nominations of Erica Corbelli as veterans services commissioner, Paul Guarino, Michelle Goudy and Nancy Hila to the library trustees, Patricia Cheever to the elections commission, John Spalding to the zoning board and Mary Broderick to the public works commission to committee, and confirmed Christopher Snook and a tenant representative to the housing authority board 11-0.
- DiPierro and Councilor Wayne Matewsky asked that a veterans square be dedicated to Ronald D’Onofrio, the late city engineer and 36-year head of parks and cemeteries, near Freeman Avenue and Elm Street.
- Resident Alex Alcivar asked why young people have to go to Cambridge for AI meetups and urged the city to create a space for building apps in Everett. Peggy Serino said library trustees collect stipends for a board that “never really meets.” Paula Sterite asked for a snow database instead of spreadsheets so residents can track their 311 tickets.
Previous council meeting (February 27): Everett Council Borrows $1.2 Million for Fuller Street Park, Confirms Four Van Campen Appointees and Files a Wage Theft Ordinance
