Business Bulletin

River Run Bancorp Promotes Wilson to Executive Vice President

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Carol Wilson was recently promoted to executive vice president, operational excellence and performance management at River Run Bancorp, MHC, parent of Pentucket Bank and Newburyport Bank. In her new capacity, officials said, Wilson assumes responsibility for spearheading organizational efficiency, streamlining processes and nurturing a culture of continuous enhancement. “Carol’s keen focus on data and metrics makes her the ideal individual for a role that will have a significant impact on the operational excellence of River Run and our banks, particularly as we continue to grow,” said River Run CEO Lloyd Hamm. Wilson, of Bedford, N.H., brings more than 25 years of experience in the banking sector, having most recently held the position of senior vice president and chief experience officer at Pentucket Bank. She earned her bachelor’s from Bethel University and also studied at Massachusetts School of Financial Studies and New England College of Business and Finance.

Education

Haverhill School Committee Member Sullivan May Vie for Early’s Whitter Tech Seat at April 25 Meeting

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In a surprising turn, Haverhill School Committee member Gail M. Sullivan appears to be under consideration for Richard P. Early Jr.’s seat on the Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee. Interviews for Early’s seat will now be held at the committee’s next meeting on April 25. Member Richard J. Rosa said City Solicitor Lisa L. Mead initially advised members to turn Sullivan away. “She felt that we could not elect one of our own, even though we had been doing that for many years,” he said at last night’s meeting. After Mead consulted the state ethics commission, Rosa said it turned out the School Committee could appoint one of its members to the Whittier Tech school board.

Haverhill

Haverhill’s Michitson Calls on State Not to Weaken Rules Requiring Remote Access to Public Meetings

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The governor is trying to change the provision of the Open Meeting Law that requires cities and towns to provide remote access to public meetings, but one elected Haverhill official thinks the plan is shortsighted. Haverhill City Councilor John A. Michitson told his colleagues Tuesday night the state should leave the pandemic-era policy alone. “She basically wants to give an opt-out to cities and towns because they may have technical difficulties, and I would like to recommend that we send a letter to our delegation keeping the current policy at the state level,” he said. Healey’s proposed Municipal Empowerment Act allows hybrid meetings, but does not endorse remote access or ensure it will continue. “It’s far too important, right, to have people have an opportunity that can’t make it here, to call in, and then if we’re on business travel, for example, we can still call into the meeting and do our job, fulfill our responsibility,” Michitson said.

Education

Podcast: Haverhill Mayor Barrett Brings Listeners Behind the Scenes on School Decisions

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In a wide-ranging interview with WHAV this week, Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett took listeners behind the scenes on recent moves affecting the futures of both the “big” and “little” Whittier schools. Barrett, in her fourth month working out of the corner office at City Hall, took some time Wednesday to appear on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. The mayor said she spoke with Gov. Maura T. Healey recently as plans took shape to explore a shared campus for Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School and Northern Essex Community College. “So, the idea would be to build a Whittier Vo-Tech and align it with NECCO so they could capture some different dollars rather than just the 11 communities relying on (Massachusetts School Building Authority) and their own tax levy capacities. This would open up even more grant opportunities, some federal funding, take advantage of job training monies that might be out there from both the state and federal government to try to reduce the cost to the communities and produce a school that will produce workers for the future,” she said.

Education

Consentino School Construction to Begin Next Week; No Change to Traffic Flow

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It’s time. Construction of a new Dr. Albert B. Consentino School begins in earnest next week in back of the existing building, and the school department is alerting students and visitors about what to expect. In letters in English and Spanish distributed to families, school officials say there is no change in the traffic flow that has been in place since last September. “At the start of the school year, the administration at Consentino School implemented a revised traffic pattern in preparation for the anticipated construction. This was completed so there would not be any mid-year changes to our arrival and dismissal procedures.

Business Bulletin

Merrimack Valley Credit Union Staff Help Serve Haverhill Community Meals

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Merrimack Valley Credit Union this week sponsored a community meal at the Haverhill Citizen Center on Welcome Street. Every Monday, the nonprofit Community Meals serves meals prepared by a local chef that are free to the public. Local organizations and businesses sponsor these weekly meals and provide volunteers. In addition to a financial donation and bringing desserts, the credit union’s volunteers helped prepare and serve a meatloaf dinner to dozens of Haverhill residents. “MVCU looks forward to sponsoring Haverhill Community Meals each year,” says Anthony Marino, the credit union’s senior vice president of Organizational Development.

Haverhill

Whittier Tech School Committee Elects Wood Chairman; Process Marks Whirlwind Turnaround

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Former Haverhill School Committee member Scott W. Wood Jr. last night was unanimously elected chairman of the Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee. The election by his Whittier Tech peers brings full circle a series of moves that began in February to oust Wood from the regional board, invite candidates last month to complete Wood’s unexpired term, then—without full explanation from the Haverhill School Committee or city solicitor—shelve a policy that kicked off the confusion and ultimately to change its interview process for the other Haverhill Whittier seat held for 24 years by Richard P. Early Jr.

Wood, whose appointment by the Haverhill School Committee expires March 31, 2026, succeeds Garry James of Ipswich as chairman. James’ board seat is now held by Carol Sullivan who was seated April 1. Back on Feb. 29, the Haverhill School Committee’s Policy subcommittee voted to recommend a new policy that cut Wood’s term short.

Haverhill

Orgs Seeking Federal Money from Haverhill to Help Low-Income Residents Present April 16 and 18

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Two more groups of organizations vying for federal money set aside to help low- to moderate-income residents pitch their projects next week to Haverhill’s Community Affairs Advisory Board. Roughly $150,000 will be split among the 28 proposals. The pot is drawn from around 15% of the federal Community Development Block Grant devoted to “public services,” according to Economic Development and Planning Director William Pillsbury Jr. With most requests falling between $5,000 and $25,000, leaders proposed initiatives to provide food access, new clothes, rental assistance, job training, school support, money for utilities, shelter, financial literacy training and substance abuse counseling. The rest of the federal money, which totals around $1 million, goes primarily toward “neighborhood stabilization,” including housing rehabilitation and code enforcement, Pillsbury said. In a Jan.