2024 in Review: Barrett Brings City Government into New Era, Settles Old Disputes

Haverhill city government began the year with a dramatic shakeup when the city’s first female mayor took office along with an expanded Ward-based City Council and School Committee.

The shift was all that more seismic with the first Black women on the City Council and School Committee, first Hispanic woman on the School Committee and first openly gay man to lead the City Council. Mayor Melinda E. Barrett acknowledged the change.

“I stand on the shoulders of all of the women who have run for office in the city and in the state as they have helped break barriers that paved the way for myself and others to follow. This day will witness the inauguration of the most diverse City Council and School Committee in our city’s history,” she said.

After a period of soul-searching followed by a threat of lawsuit, voters overwhelming had approved electing a mostly Ward-based City Council and School Committee. Incoming members included Katrina Hobbs-Everett as the first Black woman on the City Council, Yonnie Collins as the first Black woman on the School Committee and Erica Diaz as the first Hispanic woman on the School Committee. Thomas J. Sullivan became the first gay City Council president.

Barrett’s new administration faced a heavy and pressing agenda with early storms—literally and figuratively—that included settling a year-old contract impasse with Haverhill Firefighters Local 1011, forging a new $262 million spending plan and settling old litigation brought by the city’s first cannabis shop, Stem. The new mayor said her first budget came with high tax increases mostly to make up for years of austerity and lack of investment.

“It is not where we all want to be, but it is where we find ourselves, and I think this is the step we have to take to correct that deficit we have in free cash and funding ongoing items with free cash,” Barrett told city councilors in June.

In settling with Stem after years of court action over so-called “impact fees” assessed by the city, both Barrett and Stem said in a statement, “In light of the evolving and uncertain landscape surrounding legalized cannabis and a municipality’s ability to collect community impact fees, the city and Stem worked diligently to reach this compromise, in the spirit of mutual cooperation.”