By Adam Swift
The celebrations in Chelsea will continue beyond this year’s Chelsea 400 events. Monday night, the city council voted to approve a $100,000 appropriation from the city’s general stabilization fund to help pay for a new special events fund for the Chelsea 400 and Beyond campaign. City Manager Fidel Maltez requested the funding, stating that it could be used for Fourth of July fireworks on Admirals Hill as well as other special historic and cultural celebrations in the coming year. District 1 Councilor Todd Taylor pointed to the Chelsea 400 events and the recent Hispanic Heritage celebration as occasions that have helped bring the city together.
“A lot of the time, I think that with our city being diverse, we need these types of things to bring people out into the public space so that we can be actually physically together and celebrate the things that we think are important,” said Taylor.
“I think that this is the type of social glue that will really benefit our city and lessen the tensions in a world that is growing a little too tense. I am the most conservative member of this council, so I understand watching money, but I think that this is good money spent to try to help bring people together.”
District 6 Councilor Giovanni Recupero said he agreed that the money would be well spent, and added that he hoped some of the money could be used to bring the Veterans’ Day parade back to the city. District 8 Councilor Calvin Brown cast the lone event against the funding. He praised the events of Chelsea 400, but said there are many funding needs in the city. Brown said he would like to see a committee explore how the celebration funds would be spent before voting for the appropriation.
“I was a part of the 400 committee, and I want to thank them for the outstanding job that they did putting all these events together,” said Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson. “I shouldn’t have to go to other communities to enjoy the kinds of things the 400 committee was able to pull off.”
Council President Norieliz De Jesus said there are a number of important issues that need to be addressed in the city, but that there also should be avenues for residents to gather and celebrate.