Beacon Hill News

Hersey Becomes Acting Register of Deeds After O’Brien Steps Down for Health Reason

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Dorothy Hersey was named acting register of the Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds Jan. 1 following the resignation of John L. O’Brien because of illness. Secretary of State William F. Galvin appointed Hersey who has served as first assistant register since 2019 and first came to work for the office 19 years ago. As WHAV reported in 2016, O’Brien revealed he suffers from Lewy body dementia with Parkinsonian symptoms. He said he would continue serving until he reaches “the point where I could not perform my duties and responsibilities.” He said he revealed the diagnosis “to put a face to a disease that has affected millions of people and without a cure will only affect millions more.”

O’Brien was elected 47 years ago, but got his start in politics as the Ward 6 Lynn city councilor when he was elected at age 19 in 1971. “I had hoped to be able to finish my term, which expires in January of 2025, but I realized that my health, particularly my diagnosis of Lewy body dementia, would no longer allow me to fulfill my responsibilities as register of deeds as I would want to do and as the people of Essex County deserve,” he said last week in a statement.

Beacon Hill News

Auditor DiZoglio Issues Report, Showing 41% More Investigations, Finding $12.3 Million in Fraud

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State Auditor Diana DiZoglio Wednesday released her first annual fraud report, pointing out $12.3 million in public assistance fraud through last June and other findings. DiZoglio’s office of Bureau of Special Investigations annual report summarizes investigations of fraud, abuse and illegal acts involving public assistance benefits throughout the state. This year, the bureau completed 5,100 fraud investigations, a 40.8% increase from the prior fiscal year. “For many residents across the state, public benefit programs provide access to everyday essential items—such as food and medical supplies. It is through the efforts of our fraud examiners that we continue to help ensure public benefit programs operate with transparency, accountability and equity,” said DiZoglio.

Beacon Hill News

‘Millionaire’s Tax’ Money Brings Extra Road and Sidewalk Money to Haverhill, Other Communities

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Haverhill and area communities are receiving big boosts in state aid for roadway and transportation projects with additional money coming from last year’s voter-approved “Fair Share” amendment, commonly known as the “millionaire’s tax.”

Haverhill, which already receives about $1.5 million from the state in road aid—known as “Chapter 90”—is set to receive another $769,765 from the $100 million statewide allocation. Gov. Maura Healey said Friday in a press release the state is not putting any strings on the money. “This funding is particularly impactful because we are empowering cities and towns to decide how to use it to address their unique needs. We are grateful to the legislature for making this funding available and look forward to seeing how the municipalities will use it to strengthen their communities,” she said. Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini told WHAV Saturday morning that while he is pleased the city is receiving the extra money, he would have preferred the state to make the allocation an ongoing part of the Chapter 90 formula.

Beacon Hill News

Supplemental State Budget Provides $15 Million in Local Disaster Aid Sought by Finegold, Payano

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Disaster aid coming to area communities impacted by last summer’s flooding was among the benefits coming from last week’s final approval of a $3.1 billion state supplemental budget. As WHAV reported last month, Sens. Barry R. Finegold and Pavel M. Payano thanked their colleagues for supporting $15 million in aid for local communities, but the amount was held in limbo when legislators debated a separate provision putting $250 million more into the state’s strained emergency shelter system. “I’m thankful for the $15 million earmarked for municipalities affected by storms and natural disasters in 2023, offering crucial support to communities grappling with the aftermath of heavy rainfall and flooding. My heartfelt thanks also go to Sen. Finegold, Senate (Minority Leader Bruce E.) Tarr and Sen. (John J.) Cronin for their steadfast advocacy in response to these disasters,” Payano said in a statement.

Beacon Hill News

State Awards $15,000 to Haverhill’s Riverfront Cultural District

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Haverhill’s Riverfront Cultural District was one of 54 areas awarded state grants last week to “encourage the development and success of the cultural districts and foster local cultural preservation.”

The Riverfront Cultural District, which covers Washington and Wingate Streets in downtown Haverhill, is administered by Creative Haverhill. It received $15,000 during a ceremony by the Massachusetts Cultural Council at Gloucester Stage Company. The grants are intended to encourage the development and success of the cultural districts and foster local cultural preservation. “Using creativity as a foundation, our cultural districts have proven themselves as drivers of economic activity within communities,” said Massachusetts Cultural Council Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt. “With this investment, we’re not only supporting the creative and cultural sector, but the communities that host cultural districts as they continue to leverage their unique character to attract visitors and support economic growth.”

Cultural Districts may use the money for marketing and promotion; capacity building, artist or vendor fees, creative community placemaking or public art, collaborative cultural policy or strategic planning and data collection and/or reporting.

Beacon Hill News

Brothers in Arms Men’s Support Circle Wins $40,000 State Restorative Justice Grant

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Lawrence-based Brothers in Arms Men’s Support Circle was one of 13 community organizations sharing last week in $380,000 in state grants to support restorative justice programming. Brothers in Arms Men’s Support Circle was awarded about $40,000 from the Commonwealth Restorative Justice Community Grant Program. “Restorative Justice practices can help those who have experienced harm and those who have caused it on their journeys toward healing and accountability. This grant program allows us to invest in community-based service providers as they deliver programming tailored to the needs of the communities they serve,” said Gov. Maura Healey. The Lawrence group is described as “volunteer-based” designed to “provide local men with mindful tools, awareness and peer support that help (participants) become the fathers, husbands, brothers, neighbors, friends and leaders our communities need.”

Grants were awarded through a competitive application process.

Beacon Hill News

Merrimack Valley Area Gains Jobs While State Sees Overall Seasonal Drop in October

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The Merrimack Valley area, including Haverhill, Methuen and Lawrence, gained the highest percentage of jobs last month, while there was a slight overall drop statewide. The revised job report shows a statewide seasonally adjusted preliminary jobs estimate decrease of 800 jobs in October, but an over-the-year gain of 77,100 jobs. Of the 15 areas for which employment estimates are published, 13 areas gained jobs compared to the previous month. The largest percentage increases occurred in the Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury statistical area at 1.6%; Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, 1.1%, and Peabody-Salem-Beverly, 1%. From October 2022 to October 2023, 14 areas gained jobs.

Beacon Hill News

DiZoglio Effort to Force Audit of Legislature Advances with Report of Collecting 100,000 Signatures

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Chris Lisinski, State House News Service. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio and her hodgepodge of political allies took a major step toward asking voters for the authority to probe the legislature, announcing they gathered enough signatures to remain on track for a 2024 ballot question. The ballot question campaign backed by the Methuen Democrat said this week it collected signatures from more than 100,000 registered voters, significantly more than the 74,574 certified signatures required to be filed with local election officials by the end of the day Wednesday. “Our campaign resonates with the people of Massachusetts because they want our leaders to fix the numerous, simultaneous crises our Commonwealth is facing—whether that’s in housing, healthcare, transportation, mental health, addiction or others,” DiZoglio said in a statement circulated by the ballot question campaign. “Beacon Hill cannot continue its closed-door, opaque operations with so much at stake.