More than 60 candidates applied for the new Diversity Director position within the City of Chelsea – a new department that will have high-level status and will be charged with making City government more inclusive and welcoming.
It’s a department proposed by City Manager Tom Ambrosino and Councilor Leo Robinson last summer in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and in response to a list of demands from young people in Chelsea. Earlier this year, the City put together a Hiring Committee chaired by City Attorney Cheryl Fisher Watson. That Committee is currently interviewing candidates, and reportedly has some great options.
Fisher Watson said they had approximately 60 applicants and the Committee has reviewed all 60 applicants. They were ranked and from those rankings, six or seven were interviewed.
The goal will be to forward three applicants to the City Manager for the final hiring decisions.
Councilor Damali Vidot, who is on the Committee, said she was excited about the pool of applicants.
“We have some amazing candidates and we’ve narrowed it down now to a couple of folks,” she announced at the Feb. 8 Council meeting.
A decision is expected in March.
¥MORE MARIJUANA LICENSES
Council President Roy Avellaneda has proposed to increase the number of marijuana licenses from four to six in the City. While there was trepidation at first for the new industry, Chelsea has embraced it and already has one recreational marijuana store operating since November. Others are expected and Avellaneda said he hopes they can explore capping the number at six and not four.
“In light of some of the delays because of marijuana expansion, I feel this warranted consideration,” said Avellaneda.
However, Councilor Calvin Brown warned caution on the matter, and said an increase in licenses for marijuana outlets was not what voters approved some years ago on the ballot.
“When the voters went to the ballot in 2016, it passed in Chelsea,” he said. “There were certain expectations of what that meant. Now, to do this is something we need to pay attention to because it goes beyond the intent of the law when we voted on it…We need to slow down on this.”
Councilor Damali Vidot disagreed and said the marijuana question passed easily in Chelsea, perhaps as much as 10 percent, and she said there is an appetite for local people to try to get into the industry. To do so, they need more licenses.
“For Black and brown and immigrant communities this is a chance to build equity and affluence,” she said. “This is an opportunity to level the playing field. I don’t think we’re necessarily moving too fast.”
Councilor Todd Taylor said one thing to consider is those that invested in the City and already opened, thinking that there would only be four competitors. With more competitors, he said, that makes their license potentially less valuable.
“The concern I have is adding additional licenses and whether it might affect people who have already invested in a license and a business that’s open,” he said.
The matter will be brought up again at a future meeting.
¥TAX ON ROAD SALT
Council President Roy Avellaneda also proposed at the Feb. 8 meeting a tax on road salt coming out of the Eastern Salt complex on Marginal Street.
He proposed a Home Rule Petition that would allow Chelsea to charge something like 1 percent or less on the sale or transfer of a quantity of road salt. It would be levied on any company with salt storage in Chelsea.
It was moved to a Subcommittee on Conference.
¥STOP WASTING FOOD
Councilor Giovanni Recupero was quite bothered during the meeting Feb. 8 about many people he sees taking food from the local food pantry relief efforts, and then throwing most of it away.
He encouraged those that don’t need the relief food not to take it if they only plan to waste it. He said the problem is much larger than many would expect, particularly in his district.
“Please, if you get food, don’t throw it away,” he said. “I’ve been seeing food boxes that people get thrown in garbage cans. I’m in favor of giving out food to those that need it. I’m not in favor of wasting it. Give it to someone that needs it.”
¥IN THE CHAMBER?
Councilor Leo Robinson said he was only trying to ask a simple question of those that have been helped by the City’s Business Relief Fund, but apparently it’s a question others don’t support.
At the Feb. 8 meeting, Robinson asked that the City gather responses about Chamber of Commerce membership amongst those that have taken assistance from the City’s business fund. He said he simply wanted to know if they were members, or if they had joined since getting the City help.
Both Councilor Damali Vidot and Council President Roy Avellaneda objected, and said the Council and City had no authority to promote the Chamber of Commerce.
“I don’t see anything wrong with them asking if it’s only for informational purposes,” said Councilor Todd Taylor.
“I think it’s a very simple question to ask,” said Robinson.
The matter was voted down 7-3.By Seth Daniel
More than 60 candidates applied for the new Diversity Director position within the City of Chelsea – a new department that will have high-level status and will be charged with making City government more inclusive and welcoming.
It’s a department proposed by City Manager Tom Ambrosino and Councilor Leo Robinson last summer in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and in response to a list of demands from young people in Chelsea. Earlier this year, the City put together a Hiring Committee chaired by City Attorney Cheryl Fisher Watson. That Committee is currently interviewing candidates, and reportedly has some great options.
Fisher Watson said they had approximately 60 applicants and the Committee has reviewed all 60 applicants. They were ranked and from those rankings, six or seven were interviewed.
The goal will be to forward three applicants to the City Manager for the final hiring decisions.
Councilor Damali Vidot, who is on the Committee, said she was excited about the pool of applicants.
“We have some amazing candidates and we’ve narrowed it down now to a couple of folks,” she announced at the Feb. 8 Council meeting.
A decision is expected in March.
¥MORE MARIJUANA LICENSES
Council President Roy Avellaneda has proposed to increase the number of marijuana licenses from four to six in the City. While there was trepidation at first for the new industry, Chelsea has embraced it and already has one recreational marijuana store operating since November. Others are expected and Avellaneda said he hopes they can explore capping the number at six and not four.
“In light of some of the delays because of marijuana expansion, I feel this warranted consideration,” said Avellaneda.
However, Councilor Calvin Brown warned caution on the matter, and said an increase in licenses for marijuana outlets was not what voters approved some years ago on the ballot.
“When the voters went to the ballot in 2016, it passed in Chelsea,” he said. “There were certain expectations of what that meant. Now, to do this is something we need to pay attention to because it goes beyond the intent of the law when we voted on it…We need to slow down on this.”
Councilor Damali Vidot disagreed and said the marijuana question passed easily in Chelsea, perhaps as much as 10 percent, and she said there is an appetite for local people to try to get into the industry. To do so, they need more licenses.
“For Black and brown and immigrant communities this is a chance to build equity and affluence,” she said. “This is an opportunity to level the playing field. I don’t think we’re necessarily moving too fast.”
Councilor Todd Taylor said one thing to consider is those that invested in the City and already opened, thinking that there would only be four competitors. With more competitors, he said, that makes their license potentially less valuable.
“The concern I have is adding additional licenses and whether it might affect people who have already invested in a license and a business that’s open,” he said.
The matter will be brought up again at a future meeting.
¥TAX ON ROAD SALT
Council President Roy Avellaneda also proposed at the Feb. 8 meeting a tax on road salt coming out of the Eastern Salt complex on Marginal Street.
He proposed a Home Rule Petition that would allow Chelsea to charge something like 1 percent or less on the sale or transfer of a quantity of road salt. It would be levied on any company with salt storage in Chelsea.
It was moved to a Subcommittee on Conference.
¥STOP WASTING FOOD
Councilor Giovanni Recupero was quite bothered during the meeting Feb. 8 about many people he sees taking food from the local food pantry relief efforts, and then throwing most of it away.
He encouraged those that don’t need the relief food not to take it if they only plan to waste it. He said the problem is much larger than many would expect, particularly in his district.
“Please, if you get food, don’t throw it away,” he said. “I’ve been seeing food boxes that people get thrown in garbage cans. I’m in favor of giving out food to those that need it. I’m not in favor of wasting it. Give it to someone that needs it.”
¥IN THE CHAMBER?
Councilor Leo Robinson said he was only trying to ask a simple question of those that have been helped by the City’s Business Relief Fund, but apparently it’s a question others don’t support.
At the Feb. 8 meeting, Robinson asked that the City gather responses about Chamber of Commerce membership amongst those that have taken assistance from the City’s business fund. He said he simply wanted to know if they were members, or if they had joined since getting the City help.
Both Councilor Damali Vidot and Council President Roy Avellaneda objected, and said the Council and City had no authority to promote the Chamber of Commerce.
“I don’t see anything wrong with them asking if it’s only for informational purposes,” said Councilor Todd Taylor.
“I think it’s a very simple question to ask,” said Robinson.
The matter was voted down 7-3.