Vote Mark Rossi
Dear Editor and Friends in the Chelsea Community,
Please join me in supporting Mark Rossi for District 7 City Councilor this November 7th election.
Mark Rossi is an intelligent, caring and compassionate leader and advocate. He is a great friend who most recently volunteered to serve on a committee that helps organize an event in which all proceeds were to benefit the Chelsea Boys and Girls Club. We raised over $45,000 for the children of Chelsea this past summer.
Mark’s tireless involvement in our community with the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Neighborhood Developers, Licensing Commission, Human Rights Commission, among other work, shows that he is a man of service, integrity and commitment; always working with the best interest of Chelsea in mind.
As a candidate for City Council Mark Rossi has reached out to many residents to hear their concerns, offer solutions and share his plans to move Chelsea forward. I know he will serve on the Chelsea City Council with the same passion he exhibits in his work and all community endeavors.
I urge the members of District 7 to vote Mark Rossi for City Council on November 7th.
Saritin Rizzuto
Chelsea Community Member
Assistant Vice President Community Relations and Emerging Market Manager
Damali Vidot Counts On Additional Major Endorsements
Dear Editor,
Damali Vidot, Candidate for Re-Election to Chelsea City Council counts on three other major endorsements whom all, like MassAlliance announce their support for Councilor At-Large, Damali Vidot, current Vice President once again for these upcoming Municipal Elections, on Tuesday, November 7th.
Maria Jobin-Leeds, longtime supporter of Women who run for office stated,
“Damali fights for our vulnerable communities, hands down. That is her guiding light and what drives her to serve. Her leadership inspires me and so many of us,” said Maria Jobin-Leeds who endorses candidates for elected office through Maria’s List.
Damali picking up the endorsement once again from MassAlliance, the state-wide advocacy group who recently re-confirmed their support for her in this years re-election efforts.
Not only has she been a strong voice for Youth, Transaparency and equally against over-development that would negatively impact residents, she has also secured the endorsement of SEIU Local 32BJ and SEIU Local 888.
Councilor Vidot has proposed orders and motions to continue to bring back not only civic engagement through the democratic process but also in re-establishing boards and commissions that represent all residents of the City of Chelsea.
It is this Spirit of Leadership and Vision has Councilor Damali Vidot seeking another re-election on Tuesday, November 7th.
She remains a staunch advocate for raising the minimum wage and passing resolutions and ordinances that continue to promote One Chelsea where all residents are equally involved and equally heard.
SEIU Local 888 also shared their support for Damali in stating,
“SEIU Local 888 is proud to endorse Damali Vidot. She has been a strong ally for working families, immigrants and the progressive agenda. As a councilor, she has not shied away from tough issues. Damali is a leader that will stand up for you, whether you’re a member of SEIU or not and we are proud to support her.” – Dan Hoffer, Political Director SEIU Local 888
Councilor Vidot plans on continuing reaching out to voters to hear more about the potential opportunities to continue to move the city forward with the involvement of its residents.
The date for Municipal Elections this year are, Tuesday, November 7th.
The Committee to Elect Damali Vidot
I was disappointed
Dear Editor,
Last week I attended the first and only candidate’s forum organized by my fellow classmates. As a junior in Chelsea High School I was excited to be a part of the democratic process in our city for the first time. I know how hard they all worked to make this debate possible so shout out to all my friends!
It was great to meet some of the candidates running for office (including some millennials) and listening to their vision of our city in a space where we had the opportunity to participate too.
However, I was disappointed to see that many candidates did not bother to attend. I believe that as youth we deserve the right to be heard and it is your responsibility as a person seeking to be “a voice” for us to at least bother to show up. You are seeking to be elected to serve the public, which includes us, and I believe this was a wonderful opportunity to share who you are, your ideas, and vision for this city. Yet we didn’t even get that. Instead some of you did not attend the forum because you chose to attend a senator’s political party in a different city instead.
I am writing this letter because I am sad some of you chose a party instead of telling us what are your plans to address our concerns. We care about our city and our families vote. There is no excuse to not show up especially when this was the only forum this year. I know firsthand how hard my classmates worked on this for weeks. If we made the effort because we care, you should too.
To the ones who did show up Councilor Candidates Tejada, Brown, Avellenada, Rossi, Vidot, Rodriguez, Recupero, and Garcia and School Committee candidates Velez, Hernandez and Alfaro thank you for keeping us in mind and sharing your platform.
Victor Martinez
CHS Student
A vote for the people’s public servant:
Councillor Vidot
Dear Editor,
We will proudly cast our vote on Election Day, Tuesday November 7, for Damali Vidot as one of our at-large city councilor of choice. Damali has shown great courage and zeal in her ability to deliver promises she made to the city and residents. Her unparalleled success to stake out a strong stand for residents has come at far less rancor, as she now settles to understand and embrace the language of politics in the city better. Her involvement at city council matters displays a councilor that does not harbor any malice to none despite the odds she has faced; a person with extreme restraint and great desire to work collaboratively with her colleagues for solutions to the many problems facing the city and residents. Therefore, it is with great honor that we enthusiastically support her fervent bid to return for a second term to continue to progressively serve the city of Chelsea, all its residents and businesses alike.
Damali may not, per se, have any outside challenger in this municipal election. However, she is one who is very mindful of her practical Christian tenants “to speak up” for residents and to “judge fairly” of others, when she gets to discern where the mutual balance lay, while deciding to provide beyond that basics which the city fundamentally needs to advance, without hurting and adversely affecting the upward mobility of her residents, too. She has dutifully shown remarkable fortitude and courage in giving voice and providing fair representation in her advocacy for the interests of the true stakeholders of our city … Chelsea residents. A brief examination of Damali’s stint on the council show the character of an altruist and progressive councilor, who leads by example and personal experiences; one who continues to approach and tackle recalcitrant and endemic issues hindering improvements and progress in the city in the city, with hope and unbiased attention to the needs of all residents. Her graceful personality has been the core of her success, and has kept her unblemished and far from littleness, above race and the ethnic divide in our local politics. Her successes in deliverance also come from the strong bond she has with her constituents. Her faith in our residents energize and compels her to wake up every day working hard to find answers to the incessant challenges facing residents without being sanctimonious.
Residential parking issues, restlessness amongst youths, better housing and more job opportunities for seniors and youths, safety on our streets and protection of residents are real concerns that Damali has focused on. In all, Damali has proffered deep and well-articulated solutions, never quits, nor resort to name calling when going-gets-tough in the people’s chamber. Through these storms, she has exhibited the hallmarks of a promising and rising star … patience, focus, and perseverance. Most importantly, she has always worked tolerantly to see her ideas materialize through compromises and partnerships, as expected of any sane councilor would otherwise, in dealings with other members of the council in matters that are critical to the welfare of her constituents.
Unfortunately, we have seen how some elected councilors, would rather howler and spew fire, and even worst, resort to name calling to undermine and tarnish their fellow colleagues as well as families, rather than strive for amicable ways to work as a team, finding sensible solutions to our socioeconomic challenges. Recently, we relived again, in the waning days of this current city council, the kind of drama it started with. We witnessed for the umpteenth time, how a simple routine council procedural motion, to revisit and reconsider the validity and adequacy of a city order, got bogged down into an unproductive meltdown on the part of a councilor that has become rather a pariah to all. We are had pressed not to squirm and watch in disbelief at the way that words quickly degenerated to name calling, and the emotional escapade in the people’s chamber that is rather supposed to be sacred and a tabernacle for peoples’ business. This kind of behavior, wild utterances, and general discountenance show a councilor virtually aloof and out of touch with residents, someone with abject lack of ethical norms, and no decency and rudimentary political acumen to hold political office in this city. We reject in its entirety this kind of shortsighted politics for the city of Chelsea.
On the other hand, it does not come as a surprise, knowing Damali’s very humble beginnings, that she is not the crack-nut, spit fire type when it comes to advocating vigorously on issues that are very dear to her core and to the world of citywide residents that she represents. We stand by her as she continues to work on issues in our city concerning safety, housing, hopelessness, youths, the elderly, parking, immigrants, and ameliorating any unforeseen consequences of future development around the city. Take any of these matters and you will find a very level headed, aspirational, and more purposeful advocate for city residents in Councillor Vidot. She taps into her deep sense of humility to bring about positive solutions as well as in working with her fellow councilors, advocating from the eyes and needs of those who elected her, the real stakeholders who count … residents.
Damali does not place her self-interest, first. She has figured out ways to wade through obstacles, and procedural theatrics at the city council to deliver and attend to resident interests. Her success has come through her moral fortitude, unambiguous clarity in her astute defense on matters that are very meaningful to her … standing as one of the last bastions of hope and guard on delicate issues affecting residents of this city. Damali is neither proud nor has an exaggerated image of herself as a city councilor. As she looks for compromises, fairness, and equity in city dealings that involve the wellbeing of residents, she has often remained cool, calm, and unflappable and never “lose it” to regret it later, when bidding the tidings of residents. She is one of a champion who has always considered the rights of residents and their voice primary in her zealous advocacy for equity in city matters. She never places residential matters at the rear-view mirror in order to appease and behold to other stakeholders. Her high moral character and propensity for equity for all is what we have come to expect of any worthy advocate and representative. She has managed to develop amidst the noise, a comfortable level of comradery across the city council board, and with the city manager that gets the peoples’ work done effectively and with less fanfare. Her self-discipline, innate ability to control the urge to point fingers and blame others for ulterior gains is never in doubt.
Because of her great attributes and rapport with our youth, we join the Mass Alliance in publicly endorsing this rising star, Councillor Vidot, for City Councillor At- Large in the upcoming municipal elections, on Tuesday, November 7th. Damali Vidot, deserves another mandate to serve the city dutifully as she has done in the past. We hope you share in the nobility of her character and the absolute reverence and might with which she has served the very ordinary citizens within the city of Chelsea. We believe that the reward for a job well done is another term. Therefore, we ask that you join us in voting for Damali, to compliment and work alongside the great chieftain and doyen of the City Council President, Councillor Leo Robinson. We remain upbeat and very optimistic that, Damali and Leo will indeed translate their political capital to steering our city’s agenda forward in good faith and in magnificent ways with the concerns of residents at the forefront!
Kenneth Umemba & Joan Cromwell
Chelsea Residents