A Methuen city councilor has been tapped as Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini’s new executive assistant at city hall.
Methuen Councilor Lisa Yarid Ferry was appointed by Fiorentini to succeed Executive Assistant Allison Heartquist, who is being promoted to director of the city’s new 311 Constituent Services Department, according to a statement Wednesday morning. Ferry is the sister of Haverhill City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas and has worked for both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and state Senate. She has worked as a state government associate for Boston lobbying firm Dewey Square Group since 2006. She brings “years of hands-on experience with business and political entities, in addition to her strategic grassroots and communications consulting skills.” Fiorentini called Ferry “the strongest candidate for the job.”
“Lisa has a clear understanding of the needs of city government due to her diligent leadership as a city councilor. Her dynamic enthusiasm and talents will be a great addition to the office,” Fiorentini said.
Ferry received a bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and a master’s in Public Affairs at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Ferry resides in Methuen with her husband Josh. She is “an avid fly fisherwoman, loves to travel and volunteers her time to community service in her hometown.”
“I am so proud to have received the opportunity to work for such a well-managed city and I can’t wait to be an active member of Mayor Fiorentini’s team,” Ferry said.
Heartquist is a former Newburyport city councilor and previously served as assistant to Amesbury Mayor Thatcher Kezer.
Sister of the clerk? No nepotism here.
Sham after sham
Why not hire a Haverhill resident??
““I am so proud to have received the opportunity to work for such a well-managed city….”
Is there anyone who read this and didn’t laugh out loud?
Absolutely have to love Massachusetts politics (but not really). Lisa Yarid Ferry’s Dewey Sqaure Group lobbying efforts have donated nearly $250K in campaign cash to Beacon Hill cronies/Democratic Committee, just slightly better than The Suffolk Group’s clan of cronies, with almost $7K just to Brian Dempsey by DSG.
Also have to love the lack of integrity within Massachusetts campaign finance reporting. Under Yarid, she and her husband only donated just over $1500., but under Ferry, that jumps to just over $4500., and mostly to area pols, while other went to anti-liberty types like David Linsky, resigned in disgrace Steven Baddour, and of course a few bucks to Mayor Jimmy.
Pay-to-play isn’t just a saying around these parts in Massachusetts, it is institutionalized. If you ever wonder why you didn’t get that local or state job or contract, this is why and how it’s done here. The epitome of crony capitalism/nepotism…