The Haverhill City Council honored former Mayor James A. Rurak Tuesday by agreeing to name the Crystal Point Conservation Area on Crystal Street in Haverhill after the former city leader. Mayor James J. Fiorentini said his predecessor, known for his love of the outdoors, helped make certain Haverhill never suffered from a lack of drinking water. “Mayor Jim Rurak was instrumental in the re-use of Crystal Lake, having a line built from Crystal Lake to Kenoza, putting it back online. It’s one of the reasons we have never had a shortage of water in the city of Haverhill.
A 168-page study largely backs Haverhill firefighters’ calls for better stations, including a new Broadway-area station; added staffing; a slow-down approach to using civilian dispatchers; newer trucks; and faster response times, especially to outlying areas. Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini, responding to city councilors’ push last week for release of the study, said there are no “significant” differences between a draft by the Washington-based Center for Public Safety Management and the one he gave city councilors late Monday afternoon. “It makes some very long-term suggestions for additional firefighters, recommendations which we (will) take a great deal more study and planning to implement.
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission plans to use a grant to develop a comprehensive roadway safety action plan for the communities it services. The Haverhill-based quasi-public organization was awarded $375,233 by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation through the first round of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program. The program was established through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and includes approximately $5 billion nationwide to be awarded over the next five years.
March 20 is Team Haverhill’s next “Possible Dreams,” which previously has led to creation of Clement Farm Disc Golf Course, revitalization of the Haverhill Farmers Market and births of Haverhill Restaurant Week, River Ruckus and Cleaner & Greener Downtown Haverhill. Team Haverhill asks the public to share and submit ideas in advance of the event. Community conversation at the event will focus on these ideas, and how they can be made to happen.
