School Committee Pulls Second Whittier Tech Seat Off Agenda; City Lawyer Said to Have Found Errors

The Haverhill School Committee is revisiting plans to fill, what were first described as, two available seats on the Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee. While the existing appointment of Richard P. Early Jr. expires at the end of the month, a new policy that declared a vacancy in the seat now held by Scott W. Wood Jr. is now being reconsidered. Behind the concern, officials said, is a ruling by City Solicitor Lisa L. Mead that the Whittier Tech policy and eight others should have been heard and voted upon separately under the state’s Open Meeting Law. In light of the decision, the full School Committee will interview six candidates at its regular meeting Thursday night only for the seat held by Early. The agenda now lists candidates as Paul A. Bergman, Mary Ellen Daly O’Brien, Early, Debbie Gangi, Jeff LeBlanc and Warren Seitz.

Haverhill Education Foundation to Host Trivia Night April 6, Announces $1,000 Scholarship for Tech Grad

The Haverhill Education Foundation will host a trivia night fundraiser Saturday, April 6. New this year, Kalyn Ryll, clerk for the nonprofit, told city councilors last night the organization created a $1,000, needs-based scholarship for a Haverhill High graduate who completed the Career Technical Education program. The money may go toward a postsecondary degree, technical school program or an apprenticeship. Details are on Haverhill High’s online scholarship portal, with applications due Friday, April 19. “We hopefully will have this be the start of a longstanding scholarship that we might be able to offer to these students,” Ryll said.

Greater Haverhill Arts Association Features Student Works May 5-11

The Greater Haverhill Arts Association will feature the works of high school and middle school students, including homeschoolers, during its 2024 Student Art Exhibit in May. Artwork will be juried and awards presented. The exhibit runs Sunday, May 5, through Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, and noon-5 Sunday, at Buttonwoods Museum, 240 Water St., Haverhill. There is a registration/entry fee of $5 to be paid when delivering art. The fee covers up to three art entries and may be applied to $15 student membership.

Steward Health Care to Sell Physician Group to Optum, Pending Regulatory Approval

Steward Health Care, owner of Holy Family Hospitals in Haverhill and Methuen, said it plans to sell its physician group, Stewardship Health, to a UnitedHealth Group’s subsidiary, Minnesota-based Optum Financial. Stewardship Health is the parent of Stewardship Health Medical Group, which employs primary care physicians and other clinicians across nine states, according to the state’s Health Policy Commission. The company’s hospitals were not included in the deal. “This is a significant proposed change involving two large medical providers, both in Massachusetts and nationally, with important implications for the delivery and cost of health care across Massachusetts,” Health Policy Commission Director David Seltz said. “Details of the proposal will be reviewed by the HPC to examine potential impacts on health care costs, quality, access and equity.

Zeigler Joins Emmaus as Vice President of Strategic Planning and Administration

Eunice D. Zeigler is joining Emmaus of Haverhill as its inaugural vice president of strategic planning and administration. Working in partnership with Emmaus’ CEO and the other members of the senior leadership team, Zeigler will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic initiatives aligned with organizational goals, objectives and funding requirements. She brings more than 10 years of community organizing experience, including nine plus years’ experience in economic and social development, and seven plus years in municipal finance, grant writing and government regulatory compliance. “Having worked in the Community Development Department for the City of Haverhill, the Lowell Housing Authority and the YWCA in Lawrence, Eunice knows the character and needs of the communities Emmaus serves,” reads a statement from Emmaus. “She is passionate about targeting resources to those who need them the most, empowering women and youth and issues pertinent to community development.”

Zeigler has a Master’s Degree in Economic and Social Development of Regions from UMass Lowell.

Report: City of Haverhill Spending on Target; Gets Boost From Investing Federal Grant Money

The Haverhill City Council is expected to see relatively good news when it undertakes its review tonight of usually rather mundane monthly finance reports. City Auditor and CFO Angel A. Perkins, in a written preview of her report, says the city has enjoyed substantial returns in its investment account by earning interest on federal American Rescue Plan Act money. “As indicated in the revenue report, the general fund revenue is trending on target including a significant boost in earnings on investments which the city has received from investing its ARPA funds. Year to date, the city has earned $1.5 million in investment earnings. Two years ago, before these funds were available for investment, the city earned just $156,834,” she wrote.

Hillie David Martinez Joins Governor’s New Youth Council at Beacon Hill Ceremony

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Standing on the State House Grand Staircase with 60 other young representatives, David Martinez, a junior at Haverhill High School, was inducted as a member of Gov. Maura T. Healey’s new youth council yesterday. Observing some of his peers cutting class and wandering the halls, Martinez said he hopes to work against “widespread apathy” at Haverhill High School. He loved his AP U.S. Government and Politics class, he said, organizing debates for Haverhill politicians as well as a voter awareness campaign. He said he has seen some of his classmates struggle to find similar outlets for their passions. “Your zip code shouldn’t be a predictor of your future success,” he said.

Haverhill Updates Approach to Public Spaces, Asks Residents for Input Through Online Survey

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As Haverhill updates its approach to its open and recreational spaces, Environmental Health Technician Robert E. Moore Jr. asks residents to share their thoughts via an online survey. “To develop meaningful objectives, we need input from the public, for it’s the public’s needs we are trying to meet,” Moore wrote in an email to WHAV. Public opinion will guide the city in its stewardship of all open spaces, including historic areas, hiking trails, bodies of water and parks, as well as buildings like the library, private recreational facilities and Haverhill High School’s pool. To gain access to state money for maintenance and improvements, Moore said the city must keep its Open Space and Recreation Plan up to date, a process that happens every seven years. The plan has brought tangible upgrades to the city in the past.