Education

Haverhill Candidates Vie For Whittier Tech Seat; Appointment Policy May Change Following Monday Vote

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Amid a rocky selection process, the Haverhill School Committee will again hear candidates for one of the city’s two seats on the Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Board, as well as vote Thursday on a proposed change to the policy governing how it fills those positions. It appears the body will choose between member Gail M. Sullivan and incumbent Richard P. Early Jr., though the agenda did not specify which candidates will be heard at the meeting. If the committee adopts a change to the Whittier Tech appointment policy, it may be required to provide notice and a hearing before removing one of its members from the vocational school’s board for policy violations or an unspecified “other cause.”

“Basically, the city solicitor said that she believed that there needed to be cause and notice and hearings,” member Richard J. Rosa told WHAV. He said this was the only proposed change to the policy at a subcommittee meeting Monday

The amendment follows the body’s abortive attempt to remove former School Committee member Scott W. Wood Jr. from the Whittier Tech board. After initially announcing candidates could run for two seats, the Haverhill committee later declared only Early’s open, causing four people to drop out of the race.

Haverhill

Haverhill Republicans Urge Support for Israel After Iranian Drone and Missile Strike

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The Haverhill Republican City Committee says it is standing firm in support of Israel following the recent Iranian-launched drone strike on the country. In a statement released by Jeri Levasseur, Haverhill Republican City Committee chair and State Committeewoman for Second Essex and Middlesex Senatorial District, the group cited Iranian aggression in the form of a barrage of 300 drones and missiles fired at Israel. “At the same time, the terrorist group Hamas rejects any peace talks or negotiations while they continue to hold Israeli and U.S. citizens hostage. We stand in solidarity with our Israeli allies and Jewish citizens in our city and across the region, and support their inherent right to self-defense under all circumstances,” the statement reads

Community Spotlight

Haverhill Firefighting Museum Plans Raffle with $3,500 Cash Top Prize, $1,000 Second Prize

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The Haverhill Firefighting Museum is offering $3,500 in cash as its first prize during its spring raffle fundraiser to support its mission. A second prize of $1,000, third prize of a book of scratch tickets valued at $750 and five chances to win $100 will also be offered with tickets selling at $100 each before the drawing Saturday, June 8. Winners will be drawn that day, beginning at 8 p.m., during the Scottish vs. Irish Whiskey and Beer Tasting, taking place from 6-8 p.m., at the museum, 75 Kenoza Ave., Haverhill. Tickets to the tasting at $35 each.

Business Bulletin

Fish to Leave Greater Lawrence Family Health Center; Board Plans Needs Assessment and Search

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Dr. Guy L. Fish, who became president and CEO of Greater Lawrence Family Health Center in 2021, is leaving the position. The Health Center’s board of directors said Tuesday it will assess the organization’s current and future needs and undertake a comprehensive search. In a statement, the board said members “appreciate the leadership Dr. Fish has provided over the last three years, especially as the Health Center navigated the challenges of COVID-19 and the transition from the pandemic, and we thank him for his leadership in the development of our strategic plan and our new Accountable Care Organization partnership.”

Fish succeeded John M. Silva. He previously served as acting CEO of Nextstage Therapeutics, CEO of Cellanyx Diagnostics and was a leader with profit and loss responsibilities for 17 years at the health care strategy consulting firm Fletcher Spaght. Greater Lawrence Family Health Center serves more than 68,000 patients with their primary health care needs at locations in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen.

Haverhill

Downtown Haverhill Apartment Complex Seeks to Shed 72 Spots of Required Off-Site Parking Spaces

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The owner of a sprawling apartment redevelopment in downtown Haverhill is seeking permission to reduce its required number of tenant parking spaces by 73 spaces. The Forest City Residential Group project, now known as Halstead Haverhill, originally provided 394 parking spaces, including 72 offsite on city property and in the Granite Street public parking garage. Attorney Connor A. MacIsaac, however, says a parking demand study shows the offsite parking spaces are not necessary. In a letter last Thursday to city councilors, city Economic Development and Planning Director William Pillsbury Jr. said he “strongly recommends” councilors deny the request. “In my opinion, compliance with the above minimum off-street parking requirements is necessary to guarantee the availability of sufficient parking for residents, guests and others,” he said.

Haverhill

Podcast: Riding with MeVa Regional Bus Regulars and Driver Larry Corcoran

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(Additional photograph below.) The sky is still dark when Larry Corcoran, a bus driver for Merrimack Valley Transit, starts his route outbound from Haverhill at six a.m. For the few who ride this early in the morning, the transportation is essential. When MeVa leaders went before state lawmakers to request more money early this month, Chief Communications Officer Niorka Mendez said, for some of the people they serve, “This is the only way to get to food access, to get to medical care—even in the social aspect of visiting friends. On the bus, as a bus driver, I used to talk to them, and maybe we are the only people they talk to during the whole day. They don’t have a family member to talk to or vent [to].”

Corcoran, the most senior MeVa driver, said his job requires multitasking. He has to be “an expert motor vehicle operator, and also a personality.

Education

House Ways and Means Committee Budget Boosts Haverhill’s Allocation of State Education Aid

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While it won’t plug a looming revenue shortfall, Haverhill could receive $5.3 million more in state education aid over last year if the House Ways and Means Committee gets its way. The House last week proposed a formula that would give Haverhill $88 million in so-called Chapter 70 aid compared with $82.6 million in the current year. The amount is also $131,664 more than Gov. Maura T. Healey proposed in her draft budget. “Changing our state education formula when I joined the House in 2017 was my top priority,” said Rep. Andy X. Vargas in response to questions from WHAV. “Passing the Student Opportunity Act was a herculean effort by many.

Education

Northern Essex Community College’s ‘Hurricane Diane’ Take Home 9 Kennedy Center Honors

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The Northern Essex Community College Theater production of “Hurricane Diane” has won nine national awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Honors include The Citizen’s Award; Outstanding Achievement in Performance, Mirrorajah Metcalfe, liberal arts writing major; Distinguished Achievement in Dramaturgy, Jessica Newey; Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Performance; Distinguished Achievement in Performance, Gwynnethe Glickman; Distinguished Achievement in Performance, Olivia Barberian; Distinguished Achievement in Direction of a Play, Brianne Beatrice, Northern Essex Community College professor; Special Achievement in Production of a Play; and Outstanding Achievement in the Facilitation of a Brave Rehearsal Space. “It’s crazy our work is being honored like this. They’re looking for good art, and our art is being recognized,” said Beatrice. She will travel to Washington, D.C., later this month to accept the awards at the Kennedy Center.